How did undertakers promote embalming in 18th- and 19th-century England and the United States?

In 18th- and 19th-century England and the United States, undertakers promoted embalming as a superior alternative to traditional, often unsatisfactory methods of preservation, such as packing bodies in ice or using "cooling boards." To demonstrate the effectiveness of the practice, enterprising undertakers exhibited well-preserved bodies in shop windows or took them on tour to rural areas and small towns.1

The practice gained significant momentum in the United States during the U.S. Civil War. The government’s decision to award contracts for the embalming of soldiers so their remains could be shipped home helped break down public resistance to the procedure. This acceptance was further bolstered by the high-profile embalming of notable figures, including Abraham Lincoln. As the industry grew, early practitioners—many of whom were skilled salesmen—began formalizing the trade, leading to the establishment of the first mortuary education courses in the United States by 1882.1