46 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [Feb 



Extend the organs it is desired to show, and hold them 

 out for about ten minutes, until they have had time to 

 fix by the spirits. Having seen the organs inclined to 

 stay out, it may be left in the spirit for thirty minutes. 

 Next place in clear clove oil. When thoroughly soaked 

 in this mount, the specimen may be placed in spirits of 

 turpentine before finally mounting. It improves the 

 transparency, but this is a matter of fancy. Causes of 

 failure in this case will be exactly the same as the last, 

 and the same remedies will apply. 



To get balsam and benzole in perfection, you must 

 either make it yourself, or go to some reliable person. A 

 very large proportion of that sold in the trade is of no use 

 whatever, owing to the cost of production. In evapo- 

 rating there is a loss of about fifty per cent. Consequent- 

 ly to produce it cheaper, or something that will appear 

 the same, it is only half-dried. Then the benzole is ad- 

 ded, so there is really a mixture of the natural turpentiae 

 of the balsam and the added benzole. To prepare balsam 

 and benzole, the balsam is subjected to the action of a hot 

 sand bath by being placed in a common tin dish surround- 

 ed by sand (ordinary silver sand), in anotherand larger tin 

 dish over a small gas jet. Better still it can be stood on 

 a closed stove, until the balsam is perfectly hard. It will 

 then chip and break out clean from the dish. It is now 

 placed in a bottle and benzole added to it until it is re-dis- 

 solved. Should it appear to have any pieces of dirt in it, 

 it must be filtered, by placing it in front of a fire, only 

 just to keep it warm. Cover with a larger glass vessel 

 and filter in the usual way, through course filtering paper. 

 If care is taken to see that everything is clean during the 

 making, there will be no need of this. Care must be taken 

 not to dry it too quickly, or it will darken the color. When 

 done, it should be quite clear and very little darker than 

 pure balsam. 



The best form of bottle for contg-ining either balsam, 



