BY N. A. COBB. 



145 



would be attained. To do this, proceed as follows: — Take an 

 elongated piece of quill or other similar elastic non-metallic sub- 

 stance and make in it two cuts as shown at Fig 2 a,b. It will be 



Fig. 2.— Two Views of a Piece of 

 Quill, split and opened so as 

 to form a compressorium. 



Fig. 3.— Two Round Coyer- 

 glasses, cemented to- 

 gether and placed in a 

 quill compressorium. 



found that the piece of quill can then be opened and converted into 

 a compressing machine. The covers are to be placed in this com- 

 pressorium as shown in Fig. 3. Of course the compressorium of 

 quill should be stiff enough to firmly hold the covers in place, but 

 should be no stiffer than will serve this purpose well. 



Our compressed animal is now ready for treatment, and may be 

 handled like any other object. The quill will hold the covers 

 firmly in place, even if the paraffin should become dissolved or 

 melted. If no substance is to be used that will dissolve or melt the 

 paraffin, then of course the compressorium of quill is unnecessary, 

 as for instance when only cold solutions of glycerine are to be used 

 and the object is to be mounted in glycerine. If, however, one 

 wishes to fix in hot sublimate or to proceed at once to alcohols or 

 other liquids that would have a loosening or solvent action on the 

 paraffin, then of course the quill compressorium (or a different 

 cement) is necessary. 



To fix the object, take hold of the quill and place one edge of 

 the covers in the fixing fluid ; the fluid runs in by capillary 

 attraction, and fixation takes place. The fixiug fluid may be 

 replaced by fresh fluid or can be washed out by the use of blotting 

 paper in the ordinary way, i.e., place one edge of the covers in the 

 fluid it is desired to draw in and place fresh blotting paper in 

 contact with the opposite edge of the covers. 



