It was something you would never suspect, but there was an urgency for women embalmers in the past. This was mostly due to the fact that women preferred their corpse to be cared for by a woman and, while living, were uncomfortable with men handling their remains.
The following article was originally published in 1908.
Big Money Earned by Women Embalmers
There are several jobs in New York for women that are “going begging.” The work pays ten dollars or more per day, and in some instances over a hundred per week, yet there is practically no one to take up the occupation.
“There are only three women in New York who did this work, which is embalming,” said the night manager of an undertaking establishment.
“These three are kept so busy that we are compelled, in numerous cases, to confess our inability to comply with the wishes of patrons who prefer women embalmers, and so we have to intrust the work to men instead.”
“It is really much easier than nursing in a hospital,” said another, “for the embalming methods of the present day are very simple. But where there are thousands of women who are anxious to become nurses there are none who desire to start on this work.
“A woman can show a greater amount of sympathy for the bereaved relatives than a man is capable of doing.
“In many ways they seem so fitted for the work, and it is beyond my comprehension why women don’t enter this profession.
“The fact that they do not fear the presence of death can be easily proven by inquiry at the morgue or at any police station. More women than men gather at these places after some tragedy.
“There are embalming schools in this city where women can enter upon a course in this work, but very few do. Upon graduation they can obtain work immediately, and probably get one or two cases a day at ten dollars each.”
Source: The Spanish American. [volume] (Roy, Mora Co., N.M.), 18 July 1908.
