Instructions

In any case, a pathoanatomical autopsy must be performed if a refusal has not been formalized (a refusal can be issued if the death occurred after a long illness or natural aging, and also if the deceased refuses an autopsy in the will). In case of sudden or violent death, the body is sent to a forensic medical examination for an autopsy. If there are no signs of violent death, then they can be sent to any available morgue.

The autopsy is carried out in the morgue on a special table with a sink; it is recommended to carry out this manipulation in daylight. Before the autopsy, the pathologist must carefully read the medical history, and, if necessary, clarify the data with the attending physician (he must be present at the autopsy). The procedure begins with an external examination of the deceased, with special attention paid to the degree, presence of skin damage, scars, wounds, swelling, coloring skin, changing the configurations of body parts.

After the main sectional incision of the integument, an internal examination of the corpse is performed. Using special instruments, the abdominal cavity is opened, exposing the entire sternum with adjacent parts of the ribs. The costal cartilages are cut at the border with the bone part, then the pathologist opens the chest cavity. After examining the cavity, all internal organs are removed and examined in a certain order. Most often, the organs of the neck and chest are removed separately, then the complex of digestive organs (separating the intestines from the mesentery), and the genitourinary organs (including the ureter, kidneys, prostate gland, bladder, uterus with appendages and vagina).

The method of complete evisceration is also used, when the insides are removed in one complex and then examined without separating the bonds. The organs are carefully examined and weighed, cut, the cut surface is examined, as well as the condition of the cavity of the hollow organs, excretory ducts, and mucous membranes. I am studying the condition of large blood vessels.

The skull is opened using a special saw, and the scalp is removed. The brains are removed from the skull and placed on a tray with the rest of the organs. If necessary, open the eye sockets, paranasal sinuses and middle ear cavity using a hammer or chisel. Everything is carefully studied by a pathologist, and the cause of death is determined. Then the skull is sutured, the skin on the face is stretched and sutured. All internal organs are folded back into the abdominal area and sutured. The body is washed, and if desired, relatives are embalmed and makeup is applied.

The deceased is dressed in funeral clothes. It is very important that the outfit for the funeral is clean (ideally, these should be new things). The female body is dressed in a dress or suit with long sleeves, stockings or tights, slippers or shoes, and a light scarf is tied. A man's funeral attire should consist of underwear, a light shirt, suit, tie, shoes or slippers. The deceased must wear a pectoral cross. The body of the deceased is placed in a coffin and handed over to relatives.

Tip 2: What dangerous and mystical cases await in the morgue

Being in a morgue is one of the most unpleasant experiences for any person. After all, behind any dead person there is always a story, sometimes a creepy one. In addition to the unpleasantness of being in this place, there is also fear and danger if you do not know the laws of medicine and nature.

About the dead

The dead themselves often smell simply eerie, but morgue workers quickly get used to it. Sections with corpses emit a stench of all physiological contents together: blood, urine, excrement. It is impossible to predict how a lifeless body will decompose. What is clear is that emaciated, cancer-stricken elderly women and men dry out and mummify, while obese people begin to rot, swell and emit a heavy odor. Rotting dead bodies always harbor blowflies, which lay eggs in all organs. Worms then crawl out from that place. It is impossible to get rid of them.

Not all dead people are removed from the morgue instantly. The refrigerator, of course, cannot save a corpse from decomposition, but it still preserves it for some time. It is in the refrigerator that there is a stench. And those lifeless bodies for which no one comes at all are considered unclaimed. They are sent to a “mass grave” in boxes made of thin plywood, which in no way resemble coffins. In the case of unclaimed bodies: the unfortunate ones are placed in boxes in what the mother gave birth to and taken to the cemetery, where a special area is reserved for such “orphans”. In other morgues they do it differently: they are taken to corpse storage facilities, where they lie until they completely decompose. When space runs out there, the remains are cremated.

Dangers in the morgue

Infections are simply swarming in the morgue and constantly. The danger is that there is a circulation of corpses, every second deceased person arrives as a patient with tuberculosis or hepatitis, or AIDS. Under no circumstances should you get injured, and the risks are great. Even a small wound received in the morgue festers and heals very slowly. Maintaining your health is the main task of workers. Therefore, sanitation and labor protection in the morgue are paramount.
Mortuary workers wash their hands more often than anyone else; they can be considered the cleanest people. The work of an orderly is considered harmful not so much because of contact with corpses, but because of contact with chemicals. Hellish disinfection, working fluids for embalming kill not only viruses around and everywhere, but also the lungs of orderlies.

Mysticism in the morgue

The morgue is staffed by people who do not believe in God or otherworldly forces. This is understandable: a person who believes in devilry, resurrection, positive and negative vibrations, could not be with dead bodies most of his time. It happens that while an orderly is working with a corpse, due to biological reflexes, the deceased’s mouth may suddenly open or his leg will twitch. Corpses also make sounds similar to crying or groaning - these are corpse gases coming out of the flesh. Exclusively in in rare cases, dead male bodies experience erections. This happens because certain muscles in the lifeless body contract due to the flow of blood to cells that are receptive to calcium.

Everyone associates the word “morgue” with the word “death.” Unnecessarily, not every person will dare to just visit this terrible and mystical place. But there are people who encounter these words and this room every day. They do not believe in God, or otherworldly forces, or devilry, or resurrection, or positive or negative vibrations, otherwise they would not be able to be with dead bodies most of their time.

A morgue is a special office at clinics and various forensic medical organizations for holding, recognizing, opening and releasing dead bodies for their subsequent burial, in other words - last resort man before going into the universe. The word "morgue" came into Russian from French. The word morgue refers to the area where the dead were brought for further identification.

Types of morgues

In Russia now there are two main types of morgues: forensic and pathological-anatomical. Most of the corpses are sent to the former. All criminals who died an unexplained death, who were found on the street, from road accidents, and drowned people are brought here. The police need an expert's opinion in order to either close the case (and it is opened automatically based on the fact of a criminal death or for unknown reasons), or to attach the act to the case and investigate the crime.

Pathological and anatomical departments are located at hospitals. The “clean” ones end up there, often the elderly or only those who are going to be examined with scientific point views that law enforcement agencies have no questions about.

IN major cities Up to 10 morgues are open. They differ not only by region, but also by specificity. In some places, specialized morgues are opening for rotten corpses, foreigners, children, and for gunshot and blast wounds.

Who works in the morgue

There are different specialties in the morgue. Outwardly, the morgue workers are exactly the same as ordinary people. As a rule, people who get a job in a morgue work for a significantly long time, their work is not for the faint of heart. To do this you need to have a distinctive character.

Forensic expert

The expert looks for remains and remnants of diseases, violence, traces of toxic substances, that is, he is engaged in expert work. He deals with victims who have died violently, suffered injuries, and are associated with criminal acts. The picture of death is collected by a forensic expert bit by bit: a hair, a hematoma, a nail and others. For the most part, crimes are solved thanks to the conclusions of this specialist.

Pathologist

Some people are mistaken in believing that a pathologist and a forensic pathologist are the same specialty. These two professions are similar, but still have differences. Pathologist deals scientific work: examination of the body, histological analysis. Explores how the disease affected the body and what exactly led to death. The pathologist must talk a lot, explain, prove to the relatives of the deceased. Another misconception is when people think of pathologists as doctors who dissect corpses. In fact, this doctor deals with “peaceful” patients who died of natural causes, or conducts research on “faceless” biopsy material. Doctors and management of medical organizations are interested in the work of this doctor.

Make-up artist

In a few morgues, special make-up artists now prepare the dead for burial. There are various cases: for example, to apply make-up so that his appearance does not shock his relatives or a person does not have part of his face after some incident - the make-up artist sculpts a plaster model and draws a face on it. They can reattach severed limbs.

Orderly

It is the orderlies who do the dirty work. In large cities, only people with special medical education are hired to work, even as orderlies.

The orderly’s purpose is to accept only those dead bodies that belong to his morgue, and not to confuse the documents, otherwise legal proceedings are possible. If the deceased is wearing clothing, the orderly brings it into special magazine and puts the clothes in a bag. But often, all things are removed at home. On the body with a marker (green paint or iodine) he writes the name and time, since the tag is unreliable and can come off. The accompanying documents are put on tape and the corpse is placed in a corner.

If the body is received at night, then an autopsy is not performed until the experts arrive in the morning. So, several corpses can accumulate during the night. The morning work of an orderly: undress, cut clothes, put them on the table, open the skull. The abdominal cavity must be opened by a doctor. Opening tools are the most common, without automation or electric drive. All actions, so to speak, are performed manually.

While the doctor is working with the giblets, and the laboratory assistant is diligently recording everything from dictation, what the expert says, the orderly is sawing the skull. A doctor does most of his work using microscopes, various devices, scanners, and analyzers. When the expert finishes, the orderly must put everything inside. Sew up and wash. The brain is not put back in the head. It is cut into shreds and placed in the abdominal cavity, and old clothes are placed in the skull so that it does not leak. Further, if necessary, embalming is performed. In parallel with this process, the second orderly negotiates with relatives about services, picks up clothes for tomorrow's delivery, and issues ready-made dead bodies for burial. The bodies go from the table to the refrigerator.

If one of the corpses begins to leak or deteriorate more than it should, urgently contact the relatives and find out what they plan to do. Do you need a balm? Or at least a mask (alcohol + formalin). When the autopsies were completed by lunchtime, the experts went to their offices to write reports, the second phase began. The corpses are being prepared for tomorrow. When the orderly takes the clothes, he takes them to the refrigerator and places a bag with his latest clothing on each body. Also, during the meeting, he discusses all wishes with the customer. Finds out what the funeral will be and when, in order to know whether anything else needs to be offered or not. Writes a list of services and announces prices. When the approval is completed, he sends the customer to the cashier. Near the cash register hangs a stamped price list. When you take clothes, you must check what you brought. Here is the necessary set for men: underpants, socks, shirt, suit, slippers or shoes. If desired, maybe a tie, a handkerchief in your pocket. For women: panties, stockings, dress, jacket, suit with a blouse (neckline is not allowed, as there will be a sectional seam up to the collarbone), slippers or shoes.

Corpse transportation service

It’s much worse for those who work in corpse transportation. Corpse transportation - a simple UAZ car with a flashing light, a refrigeration unit inside (thermos), lined with plastic, like Russian carriages railways. Belongs to the Ambulance Station department. The driver and the corpse transportation worker carry dead bodies themselves; in especially difficult cases, rescuers may be involved. The dead bodies of infected patients are transported in the same way as others. Each processing machine has a supply of disinfectants. If a deceased person suspected of having a particularly dangerous infection is identified, a team with protective clothing (anti-plague suit) is dispatched; after transportation, additional security measures are taken, including quarantine for team members. In general, the problem of “getting infected” is always there - nothing can be done about it. Sometimes they need to go to such dwellings, which becomes creepy: huge cockroaches, beetles, hungry pets located next to the dead person. If the corpse has lain in the apartment for three or four days, then the beloved dog or cat rushes to chew on the dead owner. The tasty parts of the body are eaten first: the eyes, tongue and belly. Or you have to pull a person’s body out of the bathroom, which in 3 days has absorbed all the water from the container and weighs five hundred kilograms.

This is not an exemplary autopsy, which is shown in films, but typical of a provincial morgue, which does not even have a refrigerator (it broke several years ago, they never bought a new one).

Here are the actual tools, in a travel bag. “On the go” - because our expert is inter-district, one for three or four districts, around which he travels two or three times a week, depending on the volume of incidents. Of all the props, we will need mainly a scalpel, a saw, a rib knife and a ladle spoon (I don’t know what to call it scientifically), and also a “raspator” - something similar to a rake with four curved teeth. There are no circular saws for the skull cap. GonduRussia, sir...

And here is our client: legs together, arms extended. The day before, he was found in his bed in the middle of a terrible fight, with a wound on his head. This, most often, does not mean anything: with drunks it’s like this all the time - in the apartment it’s like they’ve been fighting for a week, and the owner looks like they’ve been fighting with him. The normal condition of both the apartment and the owner, so - as they say, “an autopsy will show.” To be fair, I will say that the “criminal” corpses belong predominantly to the same contingent.
(By the way, if you came to this post from somewhere unknown, then most likely you already understand what is described here. So it’s not too late to turn back. I warned you).

Stage one is opening the skull. An incision is made from temple to temple with a scalpel, from which the skin is moved onto the eyebrows and back of the head using a rasp. Cynics will immediately remember the joke about Little Red Riding Hood, who wore her headdress made of wolf skin... uh, with the fur inside...

We saw through the skull cover: cuts from the temples through the frontal and parietal parts. A lenticular opening should form. The lid of the skull is removed using a rasp, and I still can’t get used to the sound it makes. Unfortunately, I couldn’t convert it from the internal format of the voice recorder on my mobile to a regular wav, otherwise I would have posted it too.

...this is what should happen as a result. In the background you can see a saw; it is made of some soft types of metal, and to prevent it from being bent in the process, there is a special “stiffening rib” in the form of a bent plate that secures the saw blade itself. Our soft saw, unfortunately, gets dull quickly, and even this cut was made in a dull state... There were no traces of a traumatic brain injury on the brain, that is, the wound on the head was superficial. Traces of a hematoma look like blood clots on the surface of the brain (and the hematoma itself, in fact, is a hemorrhage into the lining of the brain). In cases of traumatic brain injury, death occurs from compression of the brain by hematomas. Well, since there is nothing on the brain (the red spot in the picture is just a blood stain), we put it aside for now and get to work on the liver.

...We make an incision in the center of the chest, and then, using a scalpel, we push the skin, subcutaneous fat and muscles to the sides.

...Take out the intestines and set them aside.

Then, using a ladle, we take urine from the cut bladder for analysis. Cynics will probably now remember the joke about a waiter in a restaurant with a string sticking out of his fly and a “spoon” on his belt. Urine (as well as blood) is sent to chemical experts; based on the alcohol content in it, it can be determined whether the expert was abusing alcohol before his death, and how badly he used it.

Then, using a rib knife, we make cuts in the ribs on both sides of the sternum, and remove the cut out. Access to the lungs is open. By the way, in the middle of the chest on the ribs there is a noticeable red spot. This is no longer a blot; the rib may be broken at this point.

...And here, in fact, are the lungs - along with other internal organs, except for the intestines, which we took out earlier.

This is how we determine whether the ribs are broken - they just need to be separated from each other and shaken a little. That rib that seemed broken was actually intact, there was just hemorrhage. But the bottom one that is visible in the picture, the ninth, is indeed broken. It most often gets caught in fights or falls.

And this (I specifically asked to show it) is the inner wall of the opened aorta. Judging by her ideal condition, the deceased was not a fool to drink. The cardiovascular system of alcoholics is always in excellent condition, and they practically do not suffer from related diseases. True, in the final stages of alcoholism some changes occur in the heart. Which, by the way, we’ll look at now...

...And let’s make sure that in our case, alcoholism has not gone far: it is also like a baby’s. And it looks so strange because it was cut up with a scalpel: you have to look for physical injuries.

Now the buds are opening...

...and liver. The liver let us down: it is unnaturally light. This is also a sign of alcoholism: a normal liver is much darker, almost brown.

This, by the way, is the same spoon that was used to take urine for analysis.

And like this - they’re already taking away the pieces internal organs. They will go to expert histologists. Histological examination determines organ damage and the time of death - more accurately than can be done during an autopsy.

Now all that remains is to return everything that was taken to its original place. Within the limits of error, of course.

...And shred the brain left for last. He is also clean, without hemorrhages. In short, nothing fatal was found except a broken rib and a superficial wound on the skull. The primary diagnosis is alcohol intoxication. Histologists may find something else, but it will be at least ten days later (adjusted for Russian conditions - in a month: histologists sit in the regional center, where the test bottles still need to be taken).

If you put the brain in its place, in the skull, then in the warmth the head will begin to leak. So the brain goes into the chest. Sometimes the deceased’s clothes are also placed there, if there is space left, so that the chest does not sag too much. But not now.

Well, that's it, all that remains now is to sew up the deceased and fill him with formaldehyde. Formalin is pumped in with a regular ten-cc syringe. I didn’t film this part of the process anymore: there was no time.

The photo report and comments thereon are intended solely to satisfy curiosity. They can also be used as a visual aid in lectures about the dangers (or benefits) of alcohol, to rid teenagers of suicidal tendencies, consultations with detective writers, and the like.

end

Today in pairs we watched a video of a forensic medical examination of a corpse (popularly known as an autopsy). An hour and a half.
After the film, the photos are somehow not impressive at all.

Copyright is not worth it, because... I couldn't find the original source.
If the photographs and text are yours, please let me know.

In the last refuge of a person there is something mystical and at the same time creepy, exciting curiosity and imagination. We have collected 15 of the most incredible cemeteries from around the world, where tourists who want to plunge into the atmosphere of horror films in real life flock to.

Old Jewish Cemetery (Prague, Czech Republic)

The old Jewish cemetery in the Josefov quarter in Prague dates back to the early 15th century. The oldest tombstone found dates back to 1439, and the latest to 1787. Exact number The gravestones and buried people are unknown, since in this cemetery burials were made in layers, on top of each other. It is estimated that more than 100,000 Jews are buried in the cemetery, but there are only 12,000 visible headstones. It's not surprising that many people see ghosts passing through tightly packed tombstones.

Paris Catacombs (Paris, France)

The Catacombs of Paris are a huge underground crypt under the capital of France. The network of caves and tunnels stretches for almost 300 km, and the remains of about six million people are buried in them. There are many stories about the creepy catacombs, which are literally covered with skulls and bones.

Supposedly things happen here all the time paranormal phenomena. Sometimes ghostly balls or ectoplasmic mist float in front of tourists, and sometimes even the shadows of ghosts wander along the corridors among piles of bones.

La Recoleta (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

The Recoleta Cemetery, which is located in the Recoleta district of the Argentine capital Buenos Aires, is a major tourist attraction due to its outstanding examples of 19th and 20th century architecture. There is a story associated with this cemetery about the “Lady in White” who often visits the graves at night.

Valley of the Kings (Cairo, Egypt)

The Valley of the Kings, which contains the tombs of the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, became famous after the discovery of the unrobbed tomb of Tutankhamun and the “curse of the pharaohs” associated with it. Almost everyone who took part in the opening of the grave died mysteriously several years later.

Capuchin Crypt (Rome, Italy)

The bones of four thousand Franciscan Capuchin monks were used to decorate the walls of this crypt. Used human bones and to create the interior of various chapels. For example, there are chapels called "Pelvis Crypt" and "Skull Crypt".

Bachelor's Grove (Chicago, USA)

Known as one of the most haunted sites in the United States, Bachelor's Grove Cemetery in Chicago opened in 1844. Stories about ghosts in this cemetery were especially popular in the 1970s and 1980s. There were stories of strange balls, phantom machines, and even a ghostly house that suddenly appeared before people and then disappeared into thin air. In 1984, witnesses also reported seeing several ghostly figures throughout the cemetery, dressed in monk robes.

Ganges River (Varanasi, India)

Due to its proximity to the Ganges, Varanasi is one of the holiest cities of Hindus in India. This city is famous for the fact that it is customary to burn corpses on the banks of the Ganges and then simply throw them into the river. Every day fires burn on the banks, and the Ganges is polluted by myriads of bacteria. Incredibly, people bathe and wash their clothes in the river while half-burnt remains float by.

Stull Cemetery, Kansas

The burial place, which is also called the “Gates of Hell”, according to legend is one of the seven portals of Hell on Earth. Legend has it that if you knock on a stone in the ruins of a church, the devil himself will answer.

Capela DOS Ossos (Portugal)

In the chapel, whose name literally means "Chapel of Bones", two skeletons hang in chains on the wall. At the same time, the walls are also covered with real skulls and human bones.

Witch Cemetery State (Tennessee, USA)

The cemetery, located in the Tennessee backcountry, is one of the oldest in the state. Stone tombstones are often engraved with pentagrams, which are said to contain witch powers. There are also numerous claims of strange lights being seen in the forest at night, as well as ghostly animals that were sacrificed during rituals in the cemetery.

Cemetery La Noria (La Noria, Chile)

La Noria is an abandoned mining town with a frightening history full of violence and slavery. The cemetery of this city is a terrible and incredible sight. Many graves have been uncovered. There are chilling rumors that at sunset the dead rise from their graves and begin to wander the abandoned mining town. Residents of Chile also reported seeing children in abandoned schools as if they were sitting in a regular lesson.

Sedlec Ossuary (Kutná Hora, Czech Republic)

In Sedlec, a suburb of the Czech town of Kutná Hora, there is a small Roman Catholic chapel near the cemetery church of All Saints. This crypt is estimated to contain the skeletons of between 40,000 and 70,000 people, whose bones were used to create decorations and furniture for the chapel.

Chamula Cemetery (San Juan Chamula, Mexico)

Although at this place there was catholic church In the 1960s, a priest from a parish in a neighboring village came to Mass only once a month. The rest of the time, local shamans use this area to create “magic potions.” Chickens are often sacrificed during healing ceremonies at this cemetery.

Cemetery in a cafe (Ahmedabad, India)

Tourists who go for a bite to eat at the New Lucky restaurant in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad find themselves in a cemetery - ancient Muslim graves are located throughout the building.

Okuno-in Cemetery (Japan)

Okuno - sacred village near 120 Buddhist temples. The local cemetery is associated with an eerie legend. Kobo Daishi (Kukai), the founder of the Shingon school of Buddhism, is said to rest here and, according to legend, he did not die, but only entered deep samadhi and will be reborn along with his followers.

Equipment cemeteries present an equally creepy sight. will amaze even seasoned travelers.

One of the most mystical personalities in Russian literature is N.V. Gogol. During his lifetime he was a secretive person and took with him many secrets. But he left behind brilliant works in which fantasy and reality, the beautiful and the repulsive, the funny and the tragic are intertwined.

Here witches fly on a broomstick, boys and ladies fall in love with each other, the imaginary auditor takes on a pompous appearance, Viy raises his leaden eyelids and runs away from And the writer unexpectedly bids us farewell, leaving us in admiration and bewilderment. Today we will talk about his last charade, left to his descendants - the secret of Gogol’s grave.

The writer's childhood

Gogol was born in the Poltava province on March 1, 1809. Before him, two dead boys had already been born in the family, so the parents prayed to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker for the birth of the third and named the first-born in his honor. Gogol was a sickly child, they fussed over him a lot and loved him more than other children.

From his mother he inherited religiosity and a penchant for premonitions. From my father - suspiciousness and love for the theater. The boy was attracted by secrets, scary stories, prophetic dreams.

At the age of 10, he and his younger brother Ivan were sent to the Poltava School. But the training did not last long. My brother died, which really shocked me little Nicholas. He was transferred to the Nizhyn gymnasium. Among his peers, the boy was distinguished by his love of practical jokes and secrecy, for which he was called Mysterious Carlo. This is how the writer Gogol grew up. His work and personal life were largely determined by his first childhood impressions.

Is Gogol's artistic world the creation of a mad genius?

The writer’s works surprise with their phantasmagoric nature. On their pages, terrifying sorcerers come to life (“Terrible Vengeance”), and witches, led by the monster Viy, rise up at night. But along with evil spirits, caricatures of modern society. A new auditor comes to town, they are bought by Chichikov dead souls, shows Russian life with utmost honesty. And next to it is the absurdity of Nevsky Prospekt and the famous Nose. How were these images born in the head of the writer Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol?

Creativity researchers are still at a loss. Many theories are connected with the writer's madness. It is known that he suffered from painful conditions, during which mood swings, extreme despair, and fainting were observed. Perhaps it was disturbed thinking that prompted Gogol to write such bright, unusual works? After all, after suffering, periods of creative inspiration followed.

However, psychiatrists who studied Gogol's work find no signs of insanity. In their opinion, the writer suffered from depression. Hopeless sadness and special sensitivity are characteristic of many brilliant individuals. This is what helps them become more deeply aware of the surrounding reality, show it from unexpected sides, amazing the reader.

The writer was shy and a closed person. In addition, he had a good sense of humor and loved practical jokes. All this gave rise to many legends about him. Thus, excessive religiosity suggests that Gogol could be a member of a sect.

Even more controversial is the fact that the writer was not married. There is a legend that in the 1840s he proposed to Countess A.M. Vilegorskaya, but was refused. There was also a rumor about Nikolai Vasilyevich’s platonic love for the married lady A. O. Smirnova-Rosset. But these are all rumors. As well as conversations about Gogol’s homosexual tendencies, which he allegedly tried to get rid of through austerities and prayers.

The death of the writer raises many questions. Gloomy thoughts and forebodings overcame him after the end of the second volume." Dead souls"in 1852. In those days, he communicated with confessor Matvey Konstantinovsky. The latter convinced Gogol to abandon sinful literary activities and devote more time to spiritual quests.

A week before Lent, the writer subjects himself to the most severe asceticism. He hardly eats or sleeps, which negatively affects his health. That night he burns papers in the fireplace (presumably the second volume of Dead Souls). Since February 18, Gogol has not gotten out of bed and is preparing for death. On February 20, doctors decide to begin compulsory treatment. On the morning of February 21, the writer dies.

Causes of death

People still wonder how the writer Gogol died. He was only 42 years old. Despite the poor health lately, no one expected such an outcome. Doctors were unable to make an accurate diagnosis. All this gave rise to many rumors. Let's look at some of them:

1. Suicide. Before his death, Gogol voluntarily refused to eat and prayed instead of sleeping. He consciously prepared for death, forbade himself to be treated, and did not listen to the admonitions of his friends. Perhaps he died of his own free will? However, for a religious person who fears hell and the devil, this is not possible.
2. Mental illness. Perhaps the reason for this behavior of Gogol was a clouding of his mind? Shortly before tragic events Ekaterina Khomyakova, the sister of the writer’s close friend, to whom he was attached, died. On February 8-9, Nikolai Vasilyevich dreamed of his own death. All this could have shaken his unstable psyche and led to excessively harsh asceticism, the consequences of which were terrifying.
3. Incorrect treatment. Gogol could not be diagnosed for a long time, suspecting either intestinal typhus or inflammation of the stomach. Finally, a council of doctors decided that the patient had meningitis and subjected him to bloodletting, warm baths, and cold douses that were unacceptable for such a diagnosis. All this undermined the body, which was already weakened by long abstinence from food. The writer died of heart failure.
4. Poisoning. According to other sources, doctors could provoke intoxication of the body by prescribing calomel to Gogol three times. This was due to the fact that various specialists were invited to the writer who did not know about other appointments. As a result, the patient died from an overdose.

Funeral

Be that as it may, the burial took place on February 24. It was public, although the writer's friends objected to this. Gogol's grave was originally located in Moscow on the territory of the St. Danilov Monastery. The coffin was brought here in their arms after the funeral service in the church of the martyr Titiana.

According to eyewitnesses, a black cat suddenly appeared at the place where Gogol’s grave is located. This caused a lot of talk. Suggestions began to spread that the writer’s soul had transmigrated into a mystical animal. After the burial, the cat disappeared without a trace.

Nikolai Vasilyevich forbade erecting a monument on his grave, so a cross was erected with a quote from the Bible: “I will laugh at my bitter word.” Its basis was granite stone brought from Crimea by K. Aksakov (“Golgotha”). In 1909, in honor of the centenary of the writer’s birth, the grave was restored. A cast iron fence was installed, as well as a sarcophagus.

Opening of Gogol's grave

In 1930, the Danilovsky Monastery was closed. In its place, it was decided to set up a reception center for juvenile delinquents. The cemetery was urgently reconstructed. In 1931, the graves of such outstanding people as Gogol, Khomyakov, Yazykov and others were opened and moved to the Novodevichy cemetery.

This happened in the presence of representatives of the cultural intelligentsia. According to the memoirs of the writer V. Lidin, they arrived at the place where Gogol was buried on May 31. The work took the whole day, since the coffin was deep and inserted into the crypt through a special side hole. The remains were discovered after dusk, so no photographs were taken. The NKVD archives contain an autopsy report, which does not contain anything unusual.

However, according to rumors, this was done in order to not make a fuss. The picture that revealed itself to those present shocked everyone. A terrible rumor immediately spread across Moscow. What did the people who were present at the Danilovsky cemetery see that day?

Buried alive

In oral conversations, V. Lidin said that Gogol lay in the grave with his head turned. Moreover, the lining of the coffin was scratched from the inside. All this gave rise to terrible assumptions. What if the writer fell into a lethargic sleep and was buried alive? Perhaps, having woken up, he tried to get out of the grave?

Interest was fueled by the fact that Gogol suffered from tophephobia - the fear of being buried alive. In 1839, in Rome, he suffered severe malaria, which led to brain damage. Since then, the writer has experienced fainting spells, turning into prolonged sleep. He was very afraid that in this state he would be mistaken for dead and buried ahead of time. Therefore, I stopped sleeping in bed, preferring to doze half-sitting on the sofa or in a chair.

In his will, Gogol ordered not to bury him until obvious signs of death appeared. So is it possible that the writer’s will was not fulfilled? Is it true that Gogol turned over in his grave? Experts assure that this is impossible. As evidence, they point to the following facts:

• Gogol's death was recorded by the five best doctors of that time.
• Nikolai Ramazanov, who filmed the great namesake, knew about his fears. In his memoirs, he states: the writer, unfortunately, slept in an eternal sleep.
• The skull could have been rotated due to the displacement of the coffin lid, which often happens over time, or while being carried by hand to the burial site.
• It was impossible to see the scratches on the upholstery, which had decayed over 80 years. This is too long.
• V. Lidin's oral stories contradict his written memories. After all, according to the latter, Gogol’s body was found without a skull. In the coffin lay only a skeleton in a frock coat.

Legend of the Lost Skull

In addition to V. Lidin, the archaeologist A. Smirnov and V. Ivanov, who were present at the autopsy, also mention Gogol’s headless body. But should we believe them? After all, the historian M. Baranovskaya, who stood next to them, saw not only the skull, but also the light brown hair preserved on it. And the writer S. Solovyov did not see either the coffin or the ashes, but he found ventilation pipes in the crypt in case the deceased was resurrected and needed something to breathe.

Nevertheless, the story about the missing skull was so “in the spirit” of the author Viy that it was developed. According to legend, in 1909, during the restoration of Gogol’s grave, collector A. Bakhrushin persuaded the monks of the Danilovsky Monastery to steal the writer’s head. For a good reward, they sawed off the skull, and it took its place in the theater museum of the new owner.

He kept it secretly, in the pathologist's bag, among the medical instruments. When he passed away in 1929, Bakhrushin took with him the secret of the whereabouts of Gogol’s skull. However, could the story of the great phantasmagorist who was Nikolai Vasilyevich end here? Of course, a sequel was invented for it, worthy of the pen of the master himself.

Ghost Train

One day, Gogol’s great-nephew, naval lieutenant Yanovsky, came to Bakhrushin. He heard about the stolen skull and, threatening with a loaded weapon, demanded that it be returned to his family. Bakhrushin gave away the relic. Yanovsky decided to bury the skull in Italy, which Gogol loved very much and considered his second home.

In 1911, ships from Rome arrived in Sevastopol. Their goal was to collect the remains of their compatriots who died during the Crimean campaign. Yanovsky persuaded the captain of one of the ships, Borgose, to take with him a casket with a skull and hand it over to the Russian ambassador in Italy. He had to bury him according to the Orthodox rite.

However, Borghose did not have time to meet with the ambassador and set off on another voyage, leaving the unusual casket in his house. The captain's younger brother, a student at the University of Rome, discovered the skull and decided to scare his friends. He was about to travel in a cheerful company through the longest tunnel of that time on the Rome Express. The young rake took the skull with him. Before the train entered the mountains, he opened the casket.

Immediately the train was enveloped in an unusual fog, and panic began among those present. Borghose Jr. and another passenger on full speed ahead jumped off the train. The rest disappeared along with the Roman Express and Gogol's skull. The search for the train was unsuccessful, and they hastened to wall up the tunnel. But in subsequent years the train was seen in different countries, including in Poltava, the writer’s homeland, and in Crimea.

Is it possible that where Gogol was buried, only his ashes are found? While the writer's spirit wanders around the world on a ghostly train, never finding peace?

Last refuge

Gogol himself wanted to rest in peace. Therefore, we will leave the legends to science fiction lovers and move to the Novodevichy cemetery, where the remains of the writer were reburied on June 1, 1931. It is known that before the next burial, admirers of Nikolai Vasilyevich’s talent stole pieces of the coat, shoes and even bones of the deceased “as souvenirs.” V. Lidin admitted that he personally took a piece of clothing and placed it in the binding of “Dead Souls” of the first edition. All this, of course, is terrible.

Along with the coffin, the fence and the Calvary stone, which served as the basis for the cross, were transported to the Novodevichy cemetery. They did not install the cross itself in the new place, since Soviet power was far from religion. Where he is now is unknown. Moreover, in 1952, a bust of Gogol by N.V. Tomsky was erected on the site of the grave. This was done contrary to the will of the writer, who, as a believer, called not to honor his ashes, but to pray for his soul.

Golgotha ​​was sent to the lapidary workshop. The widow of Mikhail Bulgakov found the stone there. Her husband considered himself a student of Gogol. In difficult moments, he often went to his monument and repeated: “Teacher, cover me with your cast-iron overcoat.” The woman decided to install a stone on Bulgakov’s grave so that Gogol would invisibly protect him even after his death.

In 2009, for the 200th anniversary of Nikolai Vasilyevich, it was decided to return his burial place to its original appearance. The monument was dismantled and transferred to the Historical Museum. A black stone with a bronze cross was again installed on Gogol’s grave at the Novodevichy cemetery. How to find this place to honor the memory of the great writer? The grave is located in the old part of the cemetery. From the central alley you should turn right and find the 12th row, section No. 2.

Gogol's grave, as well as his work, is fraught with many secrets. It is unlikely that it will be possible to solve them all, and is it necessary? The writer left a covenant with his loved ones: not to grieve for him, not to associate him with the ashes that worms gnaw, and not to worry about the burial place. He wanted to immortalize himself not in a granite monument, but in his work.

There is a legend that the Great Patriotic War was the result of the opening by Soviet archaeologists in June 1941 of the tomb of the medieval Turkic commander and conqueror Tamerlane in Samarkand. Is there a connection between these events and was there really a curse of Tamerlane?

Great Emir

Tamerlane (1336-1405), one of the great-grandsons of Genghis Khan, is sometimes also called Timur. Full name it sounds like Timur ibn Taragai Barlas. In Turkic it was called Temir (“iron”), and in medieval Russian chronicles it was called Temir Aksak. Tamerlane played an outstanding role in the history of the Middle Ages. He is famous for his campaigns in Western Asia, India, China, the conquest of Khorezm and the defeat of the Golden Horde. According to the Spanish diplomat and traveler Ruy Gonzalez de Clavijo, Tamerlane managed to conquer all territories

Little India and Khorasan. In the end he created a powerful eastern state with its capital in Samarkand. Tamerlane himself bore the title of “great emir.”

But Tamerlane was interested not only in wars and power. According to contemporaries, he was smart and educated person, knew several languages, including Persian and Arabic, had knowledge in the field various sciences, history, philosophy, literature.

Tamerlane died on February 18, 1405 in the city of Otrar, before he could carry out his campaign against China. The body was embalmed, placed in an ebony coffin, lined with silver brocade, and taken to Samarkand. The remains of the great commander were buried in the Gur Emir mausoleum, which was still unfinished at that time. Subsequently, his beloved wives and descendants of the great emir - the Timurids - were buried there.

Where did the legend of the curse come from?

The tombstone, made of jade, is carved with various inscriptions in Arabic script. According to legend, one of them supposedly reads: “When I rise, the world will shake.” According to another version, inside the coffin was inscribed: “Whoever disturbs my peace in this life or in the next will be subjected to suffering and die.”

They say that in 1747 the tombstone was taken by the Iranian Shah Nadir. On the same day, Iran was destroyed by an earthquake, and the Shah, who was in Samarkand, fell seriously ill. The tombstone was returned, and the Shah returned to Iran, and the tremors repeated.

Back in the 16th century great seer Michel Nostradamus left this prediction: “Close, close the East, the doors of the East, For a black shadow is moving from the West! The bones of the open tomb threaten the world with infection. Two years will pass and this plague will roll back".

Fatal excavations

In June 1941 soviet government decided to open the Timurid tomb Gur-Emir. The directive was signed personally by Stalin. The official reason for the excavations was the anniversary of the Uzbek poet Alisher Navoi, close to the Timurids. But most likely, some historians believe, they hoped to find valuable artifacts in the sarcophagi.

Work to open the tomb began on the morning of June 21. From the very beginning, it was as if some otherworldly forces were preventing the excavations. First, for some unknown reason, the lights went out, then the winch malfunctioned. During the lunch break, cameraman Malik Kayumov, who was filming at the excavation site, went to the nearest teahouse and met three old men there, one of whom showed him an old handwritten book that said in Arabic: “Whoever opens Tamerlane’s grave will release the spirit of war. And there will be a massacre so bloody and terrible that the world has never seen it forever.”. It subsequently turned out that the book was a collection of local legends and traditions published in the 17th century.

Despite the warning, Tamerlane’s grave was opened, a skeleton was removed from it, presumably belonging to the great emir, which was confirmed by a damaged kneecap - during his lifetime Timur limped... The commander’s skull was handed over for research to Academician Gerasimov, who also participated in the expedition. And early in the morning of June 22, Germany attacked the Soviet Union.

Returned ashes

Kayumov recalls that in October 1942, while at the front near Rzhev, he was able to achieve a meeting with Marshal Zhukov and convinced him of the need to return Tamerlane’s remains to the tomb. And as if in the end, Stalin himself ordered the skull to be returned to its place. The remains of all the Timurids were again buried with honors and observance of all required Muslim rituals: the Soviet government even allocated a huge sum of a million rubles for this at that time. The reburial took place on November 19-20, 1942. Just these days the offensive of the Red Army began in Battle of Stalingrad, which marked a turning point in the war. By the way, Academician Gerasimov, despite the lack of time, managed to recreate the appearance of Tamerlane, thanks to which we now know what this outstanding man looked like.

Could the war have started because Tamerlane's ashes were disturbed? Skeptics claim that it would have started anyway, since its plan was developed by Hitler back in 1940. Back in the spring of 1941, the approximate date of the invasion of the USSR was determined, and on June 10 it was finally determined. On June 20, Nazi troops received the command to prepare for an offensive.

But who knows... Desecrating burials was not recommended at all times. And in the East, this recommendation was treated with particular reverence, both in the pagan and Muslim eras. Maybe not in vain?