Practitioners must have a basic understanding of the etiology of disease in order to protect their health while working in a hazardous environment. This does not only reflect on oneself, but may be a part of the pre-analysis of the body prior to embalming.

  Etiology may be defined as the study of the causes of disease. These causes may be divided into two separate areas: predisposing and exciting/immediate causes.

  Predisposing causes – those which weaken a body and make it more susceptible to disease. They are as follows:

•     AGE – Certain diseases are more prevalent during the early years of life while others only effect individuals in later life. For example: Tuberculosis is more common in children whereas cancer, high blood pressure and heart disease usually occur in the adult.

•     GENDER – Male and female differ in their susceptibility to disease due, in some cases, to anatomical differences. Examples are: Women suffer with more gallstone disease than men while men suffer with more cancer of the alimentary tract. It is accepted, but changing, that men because of their occupation contract diseases that are rarely found in women.

•     NUTRITION – Lack of certain foods reduce resistance to disease. Deficiencies of certain elements result in various diseases such as scurvy, pellagra, hypothyroidism, etc. Overeating may cause fatty accumulation around the heart resulting in such circulatory disturbances as high blood pressure which may cause cerebral hemorrhage.

•     EMOTIONAL STATE – Emotional activity places a great burden on the body. The statement “Worry can be a great killer” is an example of what effects the mind effects the body and what effects the body effects the mind.

•     HEREDITARY – These are characteristics of an individual which will be transmitted to the offspring

•     RACE – Each race has specific characteristics, strengths and weaknesses. For example: African Americans have a greater susceptibility to tuberculosis than Caucasians. Native Americans have a greater susceptibility to Small Pox than Caucasians.

The Practitioner’s Natural Defenses Against Disease

  Health is the greatest asset to man. As funeral service practitioners, we deal with a constant danger when dealing with death. We are in constant contact with a hazardous environment. We must take care of both our mind and body to survive. We must be aware of the following defenses at all times.

Physical Defenses

•     SKIN – The skin makes up the largest organ system of the body and acts as a simple mechanical protective barrier. The efficiency of this barrier is enhanced by complex intergraded layers of various tissues composed of specialized cellular structures Healthy skin has the power to sterilize itself.

•     HAIR – Hair acts as a filter and protects the vital areas of the body. Eyebrows, eyelashes, cilia in the nose and ears prevent the entrance of particles of dust, airborne microbes/fungus and other extraneous material.

•     BONE STRUCTURES – Several bone structures protect vital areas of the body. The skull protects the brain, the thoracic cavity protects the heart and lungs and the pelvis protects the urinary bladder and reproductive organs.

•     APRON FAT – This is known as the omentum and protects the intestines against physical injury.

Chemical Defenses

•     LYSOZYME – Due to being present in high concentrations in the nasal and lacrimal secretions, lysozyme destroys most microbial flora in the eyes and nose.

•     ANTIBODIES – Antibodies consist of blood and body fluids and are an important part of the immune system. They are antagonistic to the negative destructive foreign microbial organisms; e.g. antitoxins, precipitins, lysis, etc.

•     CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES – These are found in body orifices (vagina, rectum, nose, mouth) and are bactericidal to many species of microorganisms.

•     GASTRIC JUICES – Because these juices have a high hydrogen ion concentration (acid), they provide a natural barrier in the stomach and entrance to the small intestine (duodenum) against harmful microorganisms.

•     BILE – Bile accelerates the autolytic process to dissolve bacterial agents.

  Part 12 of this series will continue with Natural Defenses Against Disease.