Soapman Not As Clean As You Would Expect

Posted by on January 5th, 2011

In 1875 a body was dug up while building a new train depot in Philadelphia. Thought to have been buried originally in 1800, the entire body has been turned into soap.

“This unusual preservation occurred because water seeped into the casket and brought alkaline soil with it, turning the fats in his body to soap through a type of hydrolysis known as saponification.”

[Smithsonian]

One Response to “Soapman Not As Clean As You Would Expect”

  1. Manus Ferrea Says:

    brings on new meaning to, Lather, Rinse, Repeat!