Playing With Dead Things: The Mummification of Beavis I, Part Two: The Disemboweling.

After struggling through the skin, the muscle was much less of a challenge. That went pretty quickly, and we started scooping Beavis' guts out.

That is sort of ew.

The stomach was the first to go.

Beavis' stomach was inflated to the point of transparency. It didn't deflate when we cut it loose. It could have been swollen from decomposition, but I doubt that, since Beav wasn't that ripe. Near the end, though, he spent a lot of time gulping air. Most of it probably went into his stomach instead of his lungs. A stomach like this terror would explain why he wasn't eating. Not even chocolate.

YANK YANK YANK

Next: Intestines. These were swollen, too. We removed these using our fingertips with absurd, terrified care, snipping away the adhering fascia like we were circumcising dust mites. If these were to burst, the stench would be like a punch in the face.

Ta-da.

Fortunately, that didn't happen.

Which is great. Because I see lots of runny poop.

They look better this way.

Ritual, custom, and superstition in ancient Egypt demanded that specific organs of the deceased be embalmed seperately, for use in the afterlife. This inluded the stomach, intestines, liver, and lungs. Here's the stomach and intestines in their natron bath.

I make cakes with that bowl. Who wants cake?

The natron I'm using, by the way, is a shot-in-the-dark, homemade concoction of one part baking soda to one part salt. I don't know how accurate that ratio is in comparison to real, honest-to-Jesus Egyptian natron, but I guess I'll find out if it's as effective as the genuine article is about 40 days. Or sooner, if the closet starts attracting flies.