Could a reclaimed suit from a deceased/embalmed person contain chemicals that would kill who wears the suit?

Question

Someone told me they are afraid to touch a deceased relative at a funeral because they know someone who died after wearing a tuxedo that was reclaimed from a dead person and somehow embalming fluid got into the fibers. Is this the makings of an urban legend or is this remotely possible?

Answer 1

No.  That is an urban myth.  There would be no reason for embalming fluid to be on the clothes in the first place, because the fluid does not seep or leach from the body.  It is merely a gas suspended in a liquid, and once injected, diffuses into the body tissues.  I have spilled embalming fluid on myself plenty of times, and I'm still alive!  No truth to that story.

EDIT:

I can guarantee that the funeral director was not reselling any tuxedos from the dead people.  No one really wears tux's in the first place, and since we cut them up the back to dress the person, I guess that leaves them with a very little re-sale value!!  Urban legend, look it up.  It was also on the show "Urban Legends".

Answer 2

Haha, formaldehyde is toxic and deadly if you drink it, but you won't die if small amounts of the substance touch your skin (the stuff can still burn your skin tough if you touch the liquid directly). You'd think people that embalm bodies for a living would be wearing radioactivity spacesuits if formaldehyde was so toxic. Plus, the substance wouldn't transpire though a dead person's skin. The person can't sweat anymore because he's dead so the chemical wouldn't be able to transpire.

Your friend is just dumb or a really bad liar and should just admit he didn't want to touch the dead body because he felt gross or something.