N. MISCELLANEOUS. 607 



EEMOVAL OF TATTOO MAEKS FEOil THE SKIN. 



Inquiry is frequently made for methods for the successful 

 removal of tattoo marks in the skin. "While these are gen- 

 erally asserted to be indelible if produced by the insertion 

 of some carbonaceous matter, a correspondent of the Chemi- 

 cal News says that, in one attempt, the marks disappeared 

 after being first well rubbed with a salve of pure acetic acid 

 and lard, then with a solution of potash, and finally with hy- 

 drochloric acid. For further details the inquirer is referred 

 to Casper's "Hand-Book of Forensic Medicine," vol. i., p. 108. 

 1 A, March 24, 1871, 143. 



IXTEEXATIOXAL EXCHANGES OF HOLLAND. 



As is well known to many of our readers, the Smithsonian 

 Institution, for a number of years past, has conducted a very 

 extended system of international exchanges, by means of 

 which all the scientific establishments in America have been 

 kept in communication with sister institutions abroad, with 

 no trouble and no expense to themselves beyond that at- 

 tendant upon the delivery at Washington of the packages to 

 be forwarded. At the present time it is understood that by 

 far the greatest percentage of material interchanged between 

 the two worlds passes through the hands of the Smithsonian, 

 the packages being sent to different agents abroad and dis- 

 tributed by them, who, in turn, receive and transmit to Wash- 

 ington the returns from foreign countries. 



Quite recently the learned societies and public libraries of 

 Holland have undertaken to co-operate with the Institution 

 in this enterprise by forming a Central Scientific Bureau of 

 the Netherlands, at which the packages intended for trans- 

 mission to America are to be collected, and forwarded from 

 time to time to the Smithsonian Institution, which will dis- 

 tribute them to the parties addressed. The Bureau also pro- 

 poses to establish special agencies in different parts of Europe, 

 and has already announced the firm of Mr. J. B. Bailliere and 

 Son,' of Paris, as the agents for France, to whom all French 

 institutions are requested to address such copies of their 

 works as may be intended for the Netherlands. 3 J3, Au- 

 gust 3,1871,16. 



