168 REPORT— 1875. 



iu a very fresh condition, owing to the cold weather which set in about that time. 

 It was deposited in an open yard, but the next day a light wooden shed was 

 erected over it. At this time the possibility of making a detailed and leisurely dis- 

 section was not contemplated. The dissector only hoped to make out a few of the 

 principal points of interest ; so that the first steps of the dissection were not so 

 exact or well arranged as they would otherwise have been. The abdomen was 

 opened, and the stomach, liver, spleen, and intestines were removed. The hide 

 being wanted for the purpose of tanning, the carcase had to be flayed, not without 

 some injm'Y to the superficial structures. At this time the cold was very intense, 

 and the work of dissection consequently both paiuful and laborious, crystals of ice 

 forming under the knife. 



However, the work was continued, as the possibility of a sudden change in the 

 weather, and consequent speedy decomposition of the carcase, was kept in mind, 

 the elephant having the reputation of being especially prone to rapid putrescence 

 after death. 



The pectoral and axillary regions of the left side were dissected, and the front 

 and left side of the neck. 



At this time nothing was done to preseiTe the body -with the exception of 

 sprinkling it with spirit, which was found to facilitate the dissection by preventing 

 the rapid freezing of the exposed parts, which was annoying. Tiie cloths with 

 ■which it was covered were also wetted wdth spirit. 



Finding that progress was very slow, and perhaps also entering more into the 

 work than at first, it occurred to us to try the effect of the arsenical solution which 

 is used in the School of Medicine to preserve subjects for the usual period of dis- 

 section, hoping to delay the progress of decomposition for a time. 



We therefore inserted pipes into the abdominal aorta, and injected a quantity 

 of the fluid both upwards and downwards. It ran very freely, and penetrated tlie 

 most distant parts, although a good deal escaped from various points. With the 

 view of better preserving the brain, a quantity of methylated spirit was injected 

 by the carotid artery. 



Finding that the subject seemed to keep very well, and the great desirability of 

 a detailed and careful dissection becoming more and more apparent, the possibility 

 of a permanent presei-vation of the portions of the carcase began to be considered. 



We have for some time been in the habit of preserving such things as dissected 

 limbs, which have been injected with the preservative solution, for considerable 

 periods, by keeping them in a closed box with a little spirit sprinkled over them 

 occasionally, so as to keep up a spirituous atmosphere in the box. 



This plan it was decided to adopt with the elephant. A large box was prepared, 

 and ultimately a second, lined with lead and with closely fitting lids. 



Each fore limb, when separated, was again injected with the fluid and after- 

 wards with dilute spirit; and the Lujection, sometnnes with one solution and some- 

 times with the other, was repeated several times at intervals of a few days. The 

 parts were covered with cloths wetted with spirit, and laid in the box. The hind 

 limbs were kept attached to the pelvis, and were treated in the same way. The 

 head was at fu-st immersed in dilute spirit, and kept in a tub by itself. The viscera 

 were preserved, as usual, in fluid. 



From this time, which was about the middle of January, until now the parts 

 have remained perfectly sweet, sound, and natural in appearance, the muscles re- 

 taining their natural colour-, and the other tissues fuUy maintaining their distinc- 

 tive characters. The brain, however, was found not to be well preserved, though 

 the cerebellum and medulla oblongata were tolerably perfect. This, however, was 

 not examined until after six months had elapsed. 



Owing to various causes, the dissection has been going on very slowly and with 

 repeated short interruptions ; but the part under dissection has been simply roUed 

 in a cloth which is kept moist by wetting it with dilute spirit, the use of the spirit 

 being rather to prevent the water from producing too great flabbiness and mould 

 than du-ectly to preserve the part. A dilute solution of a mixture of carbolic acid, 

 glycerine, and methylated spirit is also ^ery useful to wet the cloths with, as it is 

 highly antiseptic ; and in the summer an outer covering of Mackintosh cloth has 

 been found convenient to check evaporation. 



