Materials and Formulas 207 



bottle. However, great care should be taken so that the bottle 

 will not break during transit. A full strength solution of 

 Formalin spilled on the floor of a car will force its occupants to 

 leave. The only way to relieve the situation is to douse the 

 area repeatedlv with water, and then with formula No. 3. 

 Then, the area may be doused again with water. 



Formalin should always be treated with respect. If splashed 

 into the eyes by accident, permanent impairment of vision may 

 occur unless the eyes are bathed with fresh water quickly and 

 repeatedly. 



Rubber gloves should be worn if Formalin specimens are to 

 be handled for any length of time. If a specimen is to be 

 changed from one container to another, a rinse of the hands 

 in water will suffice. 



Glue a label marked POISON prominently on the receptacle; 

 and, of course, keep it under lock and key where children 

 cannot touch it. If jars with fishes preserved in Formalin are 

 displayed, children should not touch them without supervision. 

 It is imperative that the jars be so placed that no one can knock 

 them off the shelf accidentally. 



When transporting Formalin, I pack the jars in a strong 

 wooden box which has a hinged top and a provision for a pad- 

 lock. If the Formalin is shipped, I screw the top down as an 

 added precaution. The box is divided into wooden compart- 

 ments, each wide enough to hold a "Ball jar" of Formalin with 

 excelsior packing around it— including the bottom. Before the 

 top is closed, pack more excelsior in a layer which will cover all 

 the tops of the jars. Include enough packing so that when the 

 cover of the box comes down, there is absolutely no indication 

 of jar movement within. I have sent Formalin in this manner 

 to such distant places as India and back again with jars full of 

 specimens, without breaking. 



Formalin is a wonderful preservative. Its use certainlv 

 should not be curtailed because it is a poison. This chemical is 

 perfectly safe if common sense and caution are exercised while 

 handling it. 



