Thursday, October 20, 2011

7 Random Facts - Episode 4 (special edition)

Source
Today we have a special 7 Random Facts article because it’s Halloween Month, so everything will be...about death.


1- In one of the first stages of embalming the mouth is closed by suturing with a needle and ligature, using a wire or an adhesive. This practice is called setting the features and it is meant to keep the mouth from opening and making a more relaxed face by shaving, closing the eyes, etc.


2- Strychnine is probably the most terrible poison in the world. It is very easy to get poisoned with strychnine by inhalation, swallowing or absorbtion through eyes or mouth. It has some of the most dramatic and painful symptoms of all the toxic reactions; the worst part about it is the fact that the person remains lucid until the end. There are a few things that happen after strychnine poisoning:

- severe nausea, followed by vomiting because of its bitter taste

- because the poison is a neurotoxin, it primarily affects the motor nerves in the spinal cord which control muscle contraction. This is why convulsions affect the muscles and they begin to last longer and longer. Death occurs due to asphyxia because respiration is affected by muscle spasm.

3- Alexander Hamilton, a Scottish aristocrat wanted to be mummified after his death and he bought an Egyptian Sarcophagus. Unfortunately, after his death it seemed that there was a difference of height between the Duke and the person who was initially supposed to occupy the sarcophagus. His legs were cut off at the knees so that he could fit in the sarcophagus.


4- Did you know about the blood eagle? It was a gruesome Viking method for murder. While the victim was still alive, their ribs would be cut and opened up then the lungs were removed. The ribs of the victim were opened so that they would resemble blood-stained wings. Of course, salt was sprinkled on the wounds because the pain was not enough it seems.


5- Indian Professor Syed Abdul Gafoor kept his dead mother preserved in a glass case for 20 years, until he died.


6- The French murderer Marquise de Brinvilliers was force-fed 9 liters of water before being beheaded. She was also burn at the stake.


7- Philosopher Pliny the Elder wanted so much to see Vesuvius erupting that he actually died because of it. He ended up being killed by the volcano’s poisonous gases.



10 comments:

  1. OMG, some sounds so scary Andreea, cutting the legs and salt on the wound but then again, for some people it may be normal.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ooooooooh....really scary post...but cant stop reading in between...!
    Tasty Appetite

    ReplyDelete
  3. hi andreea, so grotesque, you really research well, to be able to get these absurd crazy inhumane stuff.
    consider myself lucky

    ReplyDelete
  4. Fascinating facts that may come in handy for a pub quiz some day!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. ewwwww..on the steps on embalming but in reality it is really done..ow no can my remains just be burned..scary and a shocker on Alexander..but so sweet at least on professor Syed..we have same case here on our former president Marcos his remains are still preserved in a glass till now for a long time..really scary post sis ;)

    ReplyDelete
  6. The blood eagle is creepy! There are so many interesting things about death, great post! Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Creepy....you picked seven amazing facts for your Halloween month. Creepy, but an amazing post (as always)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ha ha Ha ha. I dont know why I was laughing. But the post is realy crazy. I have read about the Indian Case and have seen his pic. The awesome point was of blood eagle. Imagine the sky tearing cries of these victims.

    ReplyDelete
  9. @Nava.K Yeah, some of them are really scary and salt on the wound makes me cringe too.
    @Jay :D I’m happy you can’t stop reading
    @Erika Price Thanks, indeed they could. The downfall of starting this blog is that I know all kinds of torture and weird things that can’t be mentioned in a normal conversation with a neighbor
    @Sie Yeah, I find embalming somehow fascinating. Yeah, the professor was really sweet. You can see the remains of your former president Marcos through the glass? That’s so cool
    @Frugal in WV Yeah, it’s really creepy and I agree with you: death is really interesting :D
    @Ann Thanks dear, I wanted to make something creepy and special.
    @Sarang Mangi Some of them are creepy but funny so it’s ok to laugh.

    ReplyDelete