# Restraints **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 24, 2022, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029 "2022-12-24T04:25:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/1 "2022-12-24T04:25:24Z")
Would restraint straps for a surgical table work on an autopsy table? ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/2 "2022-12-24T04:50:48Z")
Need answer fast? ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/3 "2022-12-24T05:31:47Z")
Um, I was just wondering. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/4 "2022-12-24T06:48:43Z")
If you have something on the autopsy table that needs severe restraining, _all_ bets are off. ---
**Author:** ![brossa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brossa/32/3040_2.png) [@brossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brossa)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/5 "2022-12-24T14:21:09Z")
The ones that I’m familiar with are just wide padded Velcro straps that loop around the whole table or table extension/wing, or are clipped to the table’s side rails. They aren’t like restraints with leg or wrist cuffs for control of conscious people. Whether a particular restraint would work on a particular table depends on the construction of the table, but it wouldn’t be too hard to link a few shorter straps together to go around a big table, or run over to the psych ward for proper restraints, or even just wrap sheets around everything and secure them with towel clamps. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/6 "2022-12-24T14:41:55Z")
Beds are not normally designed for restraints, but there is a decent size adult-oriented industry in making them adjustable. Visit your local sex shop. Though, like @Czarcasm i have some doubts about this project… ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/7 "2022-12-24T14:58:26Z")
Depends on how hard the cadaver is trying to get out of them. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/8 "2022-12-24T17:02:37Z")
I hate it when they do that. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2022, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/9 "2022-12-24T18:07:27Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Would restraint straps for a surgical table work on an autopsy table? I think not, given the very different designs of the two and the lack of attachment points on the autopsy table. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/10 "2022-12-25T03:00:32Z")
Then how about restraints for an embalming table? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/11 "2022-12-25T03:05:01Z")
What sort of embalming table restraints do you have and what do you want to do with them? ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/12 "2022-12-25T03:12:06Z")
TBF, it’s hard to remember a safe word when you’re dead. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/13 "2022-12-25T03:15:14Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > What sort of embalming table restraints do you have and what do you want to do with them? - Rule 34. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/14 "2022-12-25T03:21:05Z")
Are you a writer, by any chance? ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/15 "2022-12-25T03:34:02Z")
Is there are big thunderstorm coming? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/16 "2022-12-25T04:10:18Z")
And watch out for those villagers with their damn torches and pitchforks! ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/17 "2022-12-25T18:07:48Z")
I seem to recall an episode of a TV hospital drama where two protagonists made whoopee on an autopsy table. In reality, no matter how thorough cleaning and disinfecting are between cases, the ick factor (all those spilled body fluids and semisolids) should discourage even the most vigorous libidos. \*Restraints were never necessary in my practice during the time we did autopsies, except they might have been useful to prevent pathologists from fleeing the building in an effort to avoid doing posts. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/18 "2022-12-25T19:05:15Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I seem to recall an episode of a TV hospital drama where two protagonists made whoopee on an autopsy table…. That was in the very first episode of _St. Elsewhere,_ I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/19 "2022-12-25T19:17:00Z")
A hard, cold stainless steel table sounds like a very uncomfortable place to do it. Especially when there are hospital beds with softer mattresses all over the place. It’s still not clear what the OP is asking or why. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2022, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029/20 "2022-12-25T19:34:52Z")
I visited a county morgue about 30 years ago to identify a guy the police thought I might know. He passed with no ID. For some reason he had a newspaper clipping that had my name on it. The autopsy table was more of a long metal tray, 7 feet long, 3 feet wide and about 5 inches deep. It was on a wheeled cart much like a stretcher. The smell in there was rather unique. Found out later they used an air ionizer to help with the smells. I didn’t see anyway to attach any restraints to the tray. The newspaper clipping had the results from a local short track I raced at about 5 years earlier, I won the figure 8 main event. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/restraints/977029.md?page=2)