Undertakers

When someone dies and get sent off to the undertakers, the undertaker will remove a pacemaker (where fitted) before cremation so that the cremation can go peacefully.
So, do the undertakers need any kind of special license to cut someone apart? Sure, it's all a bit of a moot point due to the physical state of said cadaver, but there must be some governance, surely?
Who owns said pacemaker/hip replacement etc - could your family/next of kin ask for it back?

I don't think we have any undertakers here, wondering whether any of the plumbers know?

ooooookaaaaaay?

I find that hard to believe but without having done any searching of my own I'll not make judgement. But surely it would be a patholigist that would do this task. I was of the understanding an undertaker would 'dress' the corpse to make it 'presentable' to the relatives. Not slice it up retrieving items?

I have just read up on it. Yuk!!

Originally Posted by Stig_Of_The_Dump

But surely it would be a patholigist that would do this task.

Oh, quite possibly - I thought a pathologist was more investigative. I suppose they could give this task to the YTS/NVQ pathologist?

Originally Posted by Stig_Of_The_Dump

I have just read up on it. Yuk!!

What's the link man? I didn't find anything useful when I looked - sounds like you're more aufait with the terms necessary.

[hindle8907]

Originally Posted by Stig_Of_The_Dump

I was of the understanding an undertaker would 'dress' the corpse to make it 'presentable' to the relatives. Not slice it up retrieving items?

Not just Dress i will have you know ......
this is a story my mum told me the other week , her friend in work has been feeling off colour latley and she went to the doctors and they took a blood test ect ect, called her back into the surgery a week or so later and asked what she does for a living, she replied a cleaner, they then asked what her husband does for a living she replied an undertaker,
They doctor gave my mums friend some horrible news that she has got a desise what can only be caught from corpceses her husband was later arrested .. turns out he had been Stiffying the stiffies !

Sorry for going off topic .

Originally Posted by hindle8907

Not just Dress i will have you know ......
this is a story my mum told me the other week , her friend in work has been feeling off colour latley and she went to the doctors and they took a blood test ect ect, called her back into the surgery a week or so later and asked what she does for a living, she replied a cleaner, they then asked what her husband does for a living she replied an undertaker,
They doctor gave my mums friend some horrible news that she has got a desise what can only be caught from corpceses her husband was later arrested .. turns out he had been Stiffying the stiffies !

Sorry for going off topic .

That true or another one of these urban legends.. I've read of something similar before.

Originally Posted by rpwoodman

When someone dies and get sent off to the undertakers, the undertaker will remove a pacemaker (where fitted) before cremation so that the cremation can go peacefully.
So, do the undertakers need any kind of special license to cut someone apart? Sure, it's all a bit of a moot point due to the physical state of said cadaver, but there must be some governance, surely?
Who owns said pacemaker/hip replacement etc - could your family/next of kin ask for it back?

I don't think we have any undertakers here, wondering whether any of the plumbers know?

Mortuary technicians, Pathologists, Doctors, or Funeral Directors.

To be fair, would you really want to ask for it back?

[hindle8907]

Originally Posted by The Guru

That true or another one of these urban legends.. I've read of something similar before.

My mum told me the otherday, so unless shes pulling my leg but its not like my mum to make this sort of thing up.

I *think* people usually get such items returned as a routine matter, some author was on TV the other day and he showed the audience his dad's pacemaker (he said he considered it a personal momento) and mentioned that they didnt have to ask, but perhaps that was a special case? Easy enough to find out - ring the hospital.

"Stiff: the curious lives of human cadavers By Mary Roach" is also an excellent book to read to find out the facts (rather than the urban myths).