304 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



microscopical investio-ation could be made in some other laboratory, 

 more suited for that purpose, as to the relative value of the various 

 preservatives for the purposes of histology and pathology. 



PRESENT REGULATIONS CONCERNING BRAIN PRESERVATION IN THE 

 LABORATORY OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, UNITED STATES 

 NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Remove the brain as fresh as possible and with the least injury, 

 without the dura; weigh at once; measure the proper solution into a jar 

 of suitable size; place sufficient absorbent cotton on the bottom to pro- 

 tect the specimen from deformation by pressure; in larger specimens 

 introduce a little cotton between the cerebrum and cerebellum, and 

 lay the brain in, base downward. If necessary, support the hemi- 

 spheres in proper position b}^ additional cotton; close jar as nearly 

 air-tight as possible and place on a shelf ovit of direct light of the sun; 

 weigh, after the regular drainage, on the eighth day and change solu- 

 tion. Weigh again on the thirt^^-first day, at the end of three months 

 after reception, and every three months (as long as the experiments 

 last). 



Solutionis and proportions. 



Formalin. 



Brains up to 50 grams in weight. . 

 Brains 51 to 150 grams in weight . 

 Brains 151 to 300 grams in wi-ight 

 Brains ;«)1 to ',t(X) grams in weight 

 Brains above 900 grams in weight 



Parts. 



Quantitj' of liquid: All specimens above 30 grams in weight, use 

 4 c. c. to the gram; brains 15-29 grams, use 6 c. c. to the gram; brains 

 less than 15 grams use 75 c. c. per each specimen." 



For l)rains of fcetusos and the ver}^ young use one-half saturated 

 solution of alum in place of water and 10 per cent formalin. Where 

 there is danger of an injury to the brain during weighing, on account 

 of its softness, weigh it indirectly; approximate the <j[uantity of 

 the solution to the calculated weight of the brain; weigh jar and all 

 before and after introduction of the specimen, and subtract, bringing 

 afterwards the liquid to exact proportion. 



a Larger quantity of liquid made necessary by the size of the smallest convenient jar. 



i il 



