Raven Plume Insights

13 Articles

Embalming ×

The Blue Conundrum—

Understanding Methylene Blue in Embalming Methylene blue (MB) is a dark crystalline powder that turns blue when dissolved in water or alcohol. Originally synthesized in 1876 by Heinrich Caro as a text...

Education Embalming Relevancy

Apr 30, 2025

Benjamin Schmidt

The Foolish Nature of Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde, Like All Other Chemicals, Is Not Smart. It Is As Clueless As A Goldfish In A Library. It Will Keep Crosslinking With Proteins Until It's All Gone, Whether It's In A Deceased Human Or Som...

Education Embalming

Sep 3, 2024

Jennifer D. Lares

For the Embalmer—Elements of the R.A. Thought Process

Please be aware that while I will speak lightly on technical elements, I want to discuss the thoughts and mental process you may find yourself experiencing when undertaking a case requiring facial res...

Education Embalming Relevancy

Feb 25, 2024

Benjamin Schmidt

WHY DON’T YOU JUST GOOGLE IT? 🙄

We already know from the marketing people that 85% of Google searches are done to find funeral homes, but if someone Googles information about the different aspects of funeral services, what do they f...

Alkaline Hydrolysis Cremation Education Education Embalming Marketing NOR/Human Composting Relevancy

Dec 29, 2023

Brian Waters

The Spirit of Thanksgiving for Those Who Undertake

Wehope that the Thanksgiving holiday will allow you are your family time to be together for a bit of rest and time to focus on what keeps us going. Undertaking in a post-pandemic America leaves many o...

Education Embalming Gratitude Relevancy

Nov 29, 2023

Benjamin Schmidt

Stay Positive Together!

As a licensed funeral director and embalmer, and mortuary school professor I am proud to be a member of a community that collectively arranges for and executes with professionalism the creation of mea...

Education Embalming

Oct 30, 2023

Benjamin Schmidt

Incorrupt or Not? Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster Lived a Saintly Life

Was the fact that Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster's remains were not decomposed when she was exhumed to move her to a new shine mean she lived closer to Christ as the Catholic Church claims? Or is there m...

Embalming History Religion

Jun 27, 2023

Benjamin Schmidt

Embalming's New Front Line

The embalmers of Belgium and Germany are truly on the frontlines of embalming. As we lament the death of embalming in the US, perhaps we need to observe its growth across the ocean and think about how...

Education Embalming Relevancy

Apr 28, 2023

Benjamin Schmidt

BERNOULLI AND THE PREP ROOM

There’s always a lot of discussion amongst embalmers about the chemicals they use, the cosmetics they like, and the techniques they deploy in restoration. When we think of embalming, we can easily cal...

Education Embalming

Feb 23, 2023

Benjamin Schmidt

COVID-19 and Blood Clots—True or Clickbait?

Are embalmers really finding clots in deceased people caused by the Covid vaccine? Embalmers are making claims that they are finding clots in people that are caused by the COVID-19 vaccine, but is thi...

Education Embalming Infectious Disease

Sep 21, 2022

Brian Waters

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

Funeral Professionals have had a long standing problem with introspection. We are like Dracula...avoiding the mirrors. In my career, I’ve read numerous articles and heard impassioned speeches about th...

Education Embalming Marketing Relevancy

Jul 17, 2022

Benjamin Schmidt

Creutzfeldt Jacob's Disease and the Funeral Director

Creutzfeldt Jacob’s Disease is scary; its cause is seemingly invincible, its incubation can last up to decades, and its mortality is 100%. But it is but a mere prion, and we are humans with the abilit...

Education Embalming Infectious Disease

May 20, 2022

Raven Plume Insights

Thoughts, teachings, and musings regarding death, memorialization, cremation, and everything else to help enlighten, edify, and demystify the myths and misconceptions surrounding the deathcare profession.

Raven Plume Insights

Follow Us

Archives

Tags

Follow Us