878 Prof. Carat's Ohsef\aiions on Uie Dhsectin/r and 



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Ohservadions on the Dissecting and Preparing' of the Bodies of' 

 Animals. By Professor Caiius *. 



A HOUGH die art of adatoniisittg the bodies of animals is essen- 

 tially the same as that practised upon the body of man, and 

 though want of space precludes me from treating the subject 

 minutely, I conceive that a few remarks may not be altogether 

 imacceptable to those who feel desirous of pursuing such studies 

 for themselves. 



The first thing that I have to obsef ve is, tliat all dissections 

 of small and soft objects, e. ^. worms, zoophytes, insects, mol- 

 lusca, and embryos, where it is desirable to obtain even tolerably 

 accurate results, should be performed under water^ by which 

 the parts are kept floating and separated from each other, and, 

 consequently, present themselves more distinctly. A very sim- 

 ple contrivance for investigations of this kind may be prepared 

 in die following manner : — A mass of tough wax (not too soft) 

 is to be laid upon one, or more, porcelain saucers or capsules ci 

 different sizes, which are then to be put in a warm place until 

 the wax melts so as to cover the surface evenly to the depth of 

 a half or one-third of an inch. If the object to be examined be 

 laid upoii this surface, it may be fixed by needles in any po- 

 sition diat is wished, and, when covered with clear water, de- 

 tneloped and dissected by means of suitable instruments. Of 

 them, the best are very delicate forceps ; pointed, well made, 

 fiharp-cutting sctssars ; and «mali knives like cataract-needles, 

 some round, others with cutting edges, and fixed in slender 

 wooden handles. For separating parts I have also employed 

 «mall horn probes and fine brushes ; whilst, for examining them, 

 a good magnifying glass is frequently indispensable. If it is 

 'wished to preserve a preparation thus made, wax, coloured at 

 pleasure as for the purpose of injections, is to be formed into 

 little tablets about one-fourth of an inch thick : OQe of these is 

 then to be placed upon the saucer or capsule containing the pre- 

 paration ; the latter may then be transferred to it, arranged suit- 

 ably upon it, fixed there by means of short needles, and both 



• From Introduction to Comparative Anatomj by Professor Carus, trans- 

 lated by Gore, vol. ii. p. 389. 



