Mortuary

A mortuary is a cold chamber used to keep the deceased from seriously decomposing; this practice exists for the sake of recognition of the deceased and to allow time to prepare for burial. The term also refers to the room in which a body may be prepared for a funeral or undergo an autopsy.

A standard mortuary

There are two types of mortuary cold chambers:

• Positive temperature (+2/+4°C): This is the most common type, used for keeping the bodies a few days or a few weeks; however, decomposition of the corpse is still happening albeit at a reduced rate.

• Negative temperature (-15°C/-25°C): This is used for forensic institutes for bodies which have not yet been identified. Here the body is completely frozen and the decomposition totally stopped.

In some countries, the family must make the burial within 72 hours but in others countries (Africa) it is usual that the burial takes place some weeks or some months after the death. That is the reason why some corpses can stay one or two years at the hospital or in a funeral home. When the family has enough money to organise the burial ceremony, they take the corpse from the cold chamber.
In many countries the body of the deceased is embalmed which negates the requirement of keeping it refrigerated.