ASK A MORTICIAN: Corpse Flowers, Affordable Funerals, & Electroplating the Dead

A hodge-podge of funerary delights in today's Ask a Mortician.

Thank you Patron deathlings, who make this all possible.

***WHERE ELSE YOU CAN FIND ME***

***CREDITS***

Mortician: Caitlin Doughty

**LEARN MORE**

“Cheap Funeral: Arranging a Funeral on a Budget Can Still Be Dignified!”

“What is an ‘indigent burial’ and when to opt for estate-assisted funeral”

“The Modest Victorian Proposal to Electroplate Corpses Into Beautiful Statues”

“Electroplating the Dead”

“What’s In It For The Corpse Flower To Smell Like Death?”

“10 Fascinating Facts About Corpse Flowers”

[primesspct]

My great auntie donated her body to science, upsetting the whole family, except me. I thought she was cool.

[patriciarivas]

We did purchase my mother’s casket from Costco. It was less expensive and it was the colour my mom wanted which the funeral home did not have. We saved over $2, 000 on the casket. She did not want to be embalmed so again, we saved some money and she only wanted her immediate family there. She wanted to be buried as close to the pet’s cemetery as possible. Wish accomplished. When we released the doves, they all went the direction of the pet cemetery. She passed away at home with us taking care of her as she wished. Americans are so removed from death and have no idea of the past and what the cemetery business is about. Thank you for your openness to share.

[candicehamry]

“300 rolls of toilet paper and a casket! 1 trip!” 😂😂😂😂

[mauriziacruz]

My little boy died due to Epilepsy.. we had a direct cremation after dealing with an absolute great hospice.. I'm super critical and she did wonderful for my son.. don't be afraid to demand what you want.. 🖤 since we are on a morbid lovely channel I will share that it was $550 for everything...after the cost of medications for this disease, I couldn't pay for much, but we still made it work.. he is at peace and now I finally am..🖤🙏🏽

[ianpatterson]

"300 rolls of toilet paper and a casket"
Currently, I think all of you took that too seriously

[jaclbrown]

My home in L.A was built in 1907. The front door frame is buillt wide enough to fit a casket through. In the old days? It was normal to have funerals at home. A friendly furniture delivery guy enlightened me.

[italyqt]

My father donated his body to science. It was a really great experience. He preplanned it all. We got a letter about a year later explaining everything he was used for. They even offered to return his ashes. The place he donated to had to change standards due to cost unfortunately and have far more rules.

[nataliechapman]

Hi Caitlin!! Could you possibly do a video on Amelia "Mollie" Maggia? She was one of the girls who worked in the radium factories in the early 1900's. She died in 1922 from radium poisoning, but at the time her cause of death was declared to be syphilis. Later when other girls she worked with were suing the company that caused them all the health problems from the radium she was exhumed and her bones were used as proof of radium poisoning. Also, when she was alive, her bottom jaw fell out and it had a ton of holes in it.

[XmariaXnicoleX]

Was watching this on the T on my way home from work and someone behind me noticed and whispered to me, “oh I love her!” Cool community moment 😆

[monalivingston]

If she was a teacher could u imagine how awesome she would be? Kids would love her class....adults too!!!

[catsinsummer]

i will admit that when i learned you could buy a casket at costco at around 11, i insisted on calling them "costkets." i regret...little. very little.

[jennifer_moss]

Ummm I live on the East Coast and DEFINITELY want to meet you!!

[sourgummiez]

Can tou talk about corpses in prison? Where the bodies go? What their rights are?

[-nightcore-]

OMG - i actually have a corpse flower (amorphophallus titanum) as a house plant, it hasn't flowered yet but it is just a massive
leaf about 1.5 metres tall

[cheepymcpeepy]

0:37 "No one wanted me on the East Coast :("

I DO!!!

[misfitfromtoyisland.]

When my aunt died, I called six funeral homes. I literally had to beg them to give me a price. They all wanted to "talk" for an hour. They gave me every excuse in the world for not being able to find the prices. They all did their best to just get me in the door for a meeting. We were on a time crunch and I just wanted a damn price. Out if six funeral homes, we ended up going with the only place to give us a price.

[sterlingodeaghaidh]

"300 rolls of toilet paper and a casket, 1 trip." Catlin, you need to do a video on that. Walmart, Costco, do a video on it.

[gus]

Paradoxically I'm so living for these death videos!
Caitlin and Deathlings, I'll leave you with a fact about my country:
At Portugal, up north to be exact, traditional house architecture used to have a living room called "Sala do Senhor" (Lord's Room) created with two main purposes:

1) to receive the priest visit during the easter festivities;

2) to be used for Home Funerals (Wake Ceremony) with the body present and then, till the body was buried at the cemetery, family was not allowed to make fire and cook at the death person's house;

[fishstick]

My last name is Fish. So when I die I'm going to be (in metallic mummy voice) "A Rotting Fish Corpse!"

[sharonyoung]

When our 34 year old sister unexpectedly died with no life insurance, she was donated to the body farm in TN. At first I was upset about it but came to peace knowing that she was helping so many people learn about forensics. Have a great day. Can't wait to get your book!!