Transactions of the Royal Society. 341 



derangement of the uterine system generally. That such are the 

 facts, I appeal to the state of the bones of the ilium, and of the 

 uterus with its appendages, for proof. 



" The first exhibit that peculiar degree of thinning in the centre 

 of their osseous plates, which has been noticed in women, by Pro- 

 fessor Chaussier, and others, in the course of a great number of 

 observations, as an indication of their having borne children, and 

 of their having passed the fortieth year. 



u The ovarium and broad ligament of the right side were 

 enveloped in a mass of diseased structure, while the Fallopian 

 tube of the same side was perfectly sound and beautifully pre- 

 served." 



Dr. Granville concludes this paper with some ingenious ob- 

 servations upon the processes adopted by the ancient embalmers, 

 which he conceives to have been nearly as follows. 

 . " A. Immediately after death the body was committed to the 

 care of the embalmers, when, in the majority of cases, the viscera 

 of the abdomen, either wholly, or partially, were forthwith re- 

 moved; in some cases through an incision on the one side of the 

 abdomen, as stated by Herodotus, and as proved by some of the 

 mummies examined; and, in others, through the anus. 



44 B. The head was emptied, in all instances, of its contents, 

 either through the nostrils, by breaking through the superior 

 nasal bones, or through one of the orbits, the eyes being previ- 

 ously taken out, and artificial ones substituted in their place, after 

 the operation. The cavity of the cranium was repeatedly washed 

 out by injections with some fluid, which had the power of not only 

 bringing away every vestige of the substance of the brain, but 

 even of the enveloping membranes of it. Yet the liquid could 

 not have been of a corrosive nature, else the tentorium l or that 

 membranous floor which supports the brain, must have disappeared 

 with the meninges ; whereas, it is still in existence, and does not 

 appear to have been in the least injured. A small quantity of 

 hot liquid resin was then injected into the cranium. 



44 C. The next step taken in the embalming process, was to 

 cover the body with quick lime for a few hours, and after, to rub 

 the surface of it with a blunt knife, or some such instrument as 

 would most effectually assist in removing the cuticle. The scalp, 

 however, does not appear to have been touched ; and care was 

 taken also not to expose the root of the nails to the action of 

 the alkali, as it was intended that these should remain in all 

 cases. 



44 D. The operation of removing the cuticle being accomplished, 

 the body was immersed into a capacious vessel, containing a lique- 

 fied mixture of wax and resin, the former predominating ; and 

 some sort of bituminous substance being added, not however essen- 

 tial to the process. In this situation the body was suffered to re- 



