Intrigued by news that the late Chavez is to become the latest Politico Under Glass, I looked around and found this account of how Lenin's mummy is given an annual preservative bath. (Apparently not a wax substitute after all, despite that time the Moscow sewers overflowed into his tomb.)

Bathing of Lenin

You can see Vladimir Lenin's embalmed skin sack being taken from its exhibit case at the Lenin Mausoleum in Moscow and given its yearly bath in a soup of formaldehyde, methanol and ethanol.

Video: Download "lenin.wmv"

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin (Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov) was a Russian revolutionary, a communist politician, the main leader of the October Revolution, the first head of the Russian Soviet Socialist Republic and from 1922, the first de facto leader of the Soviet Union, and the primary theorist of Leninism, an extension of Marxist theory. Lenin died on January 21, 1924, aged 53. Rumors of Lenin having syphilis sprang up shortly after his death. The official cause given for Lenin's death was cerebral arteriosclerosis, or a fourth stroke. But out of the 27 physicians who treated him, only eight signed onto that conclusion in his autopsy report. Documents released after the fall of the U.S.S.R., along with memoirs of Lenin's physicians, suggest that Lenin was treated for syphilis as early as 1895. Documents suggest that Alexei Abrikosov, the pathologist in charge of the autopsy, was ordered to prove that Lenin did not die of syphilis. Abrikosov did not mention syphilis in the autopsy; however, the blood-vessel damage, the paralysis and other incapacities he cited are typical of syphilis. Upon a second release of the autopsy report, none of the organs, major arteries, or brain areas usually affected by syphilis were cited. In 1923, Lenin's doctors treated him with Salvarsan, the only drug at the time specifically used to treat syphilis, and potassium iodide, which was customary at the time in treating the disease. Although he might have had syphilis, he had no visible lesions anywhere on his body that normally accompany the later stages of the disease. Most historians still agree that the most likely cause of his death was a stroke induced by the bullet still lodged in his neck from the assassination attempt. During the early 1920s Leonid Krasin and Alexander Bogdanov proposed to cryonically preserve Lenin's body in order to revive him in the future. Necessary equipment was purchased abroad, but for a variety of reasons the plan was not realized. Instead his body was embalmed and placed on permanent exhibition in the Lenin Mausoleum in Moscow on January 27, 1924.

http://www.charonboat.com/item/135

The "soup" sounds more like the drinks served at my favorite bar. Any bets that Chavez won't be there in 5 years at least not in pristine condition?

Best regards,

RA1

At least Lenin's body was not desecrated as was that of St. Francis Xavier. It is kept in the cathedral in Goa, in a silver casket in a glass case. The body used to be exposed periodically for veneration, until an overzealous woman pilgrim bit off his toe--at least that's what we were told was the reason one can no longer see it.

You can see Vladimir Lenin's embalmed skin sack being taken from its exhibit case at the Lenin Mausoleum in Moscow and given its yearly bath in a soup of formaldehyde, methanol and ethanol.

Perhaps the same courtesy could be extended to this thread.

I don't see any pictures either, lookin.

Best regards,

RA1

Odd. I see the pictures on my Win7/Firefox laptop, but not on my iPhone 4S where they are just blue "X" boxes.

At least Lenin's body was not desecrated as was that of St. Francis Xavier. It is kept in the cathedral in Goa, in a silver casket in a glass case. The body used to be exposed periodically for veneration, until an overzealous woman pilgrim bit off his toe--at least that's what we were told was the reason one can no longer see it.

Nice point. Reminding that the greatest picker-apart of saints' remains is the Church itself, thanks to the delightful decree by the Second Council of Nicaea that every altar shall contain a relic.

I don't see any pictures either, lookin.

Best regards,

RA1

Odd. I see the pictures on my Win7/Firefox laptop, but not on my iPhone 4S where they are just blue "X" boxes.

It's intermittent. Sometimes ya see 'em and sometimes ya don't, thank Heaven for small favors.

I thought the phrase was, thank heaven for little boys, meaning, of course, those 18 and older.

Best regards,

RA1