JANUAEY17, 1896.] 



SCIENCE. 



79 



section. In one instance tlie following plan 

 was reported: Injection with carbolic acid 

 one and a half pints, glycerine six pints, 

 with alcohol one and one-half pints. After 

 the injection, directions were given to paint 

 the subject daily for fourteen days with car-' 

 bolic acid, one part to glycerine sis parts, 

 and then place it in an air tight box over a 

 pan of methylated spirits. Perfectly satis- 

 factory results were reported to have been 

 obtained by this method, both as regards 

 the character of the tissues and the absence 

 of odor. Subject keeps indefinitely. Chlo- 

 ride of zinc, a fifty per cent, solution of 

 neutral reaction was reported as an agent 

 used successfully in preserving subjects, but 

 had the objection of unfavorable action on 

 the tissues, causing hardness and change in 

 color. If subject is not required for imme- 

 diate use it was placed in a saturated solu- 

 tion of salt, forming a strong brine. If im- 

 mersed for a long time in the brine the sub- 

 ject requires to be soaked in water for a 

 period of twenty-four or forty-eight hours, 

 in order to soften the tissues. 



A number of formulae were given, among 

 them Wickersheim's Formula, consisting of 

 three thousand parts of boiling water, one 

 hundred and nine parts of alum, twenty- 

 five parts of chloride of sodium, twelve 

 parts of nitrate of potassium, sixty parts of 

 carbonate of potassium, ten parts of arseni- 

 ous acid, when cool filter, and to ten parts 

 of the liquid thus obtained add one part of 

 methylic alcohol and four parts of glycerine. 



Van Vetter's Foi'mula : Seven parts of 

 glycerine, one part of brown sugar and one- 

 half part of nitrate of potassium. 



Langer's Formula : One hundred parts 

 of glycerine, fifteen parts carbolic acid, 

 eleven parts of alcohol. 



Empersonne's Formula : Chloral Hydrate 

 five hundred grains, glycerine two and a-half 

 litres and distilled water. 



Among the formulse reported, arsenic was 

 an ingredient in a large number, and in the 



following combinations: 1. Arsenic (pure) 

 eleven and one-half pounds, carbonate of 

 potassium twenty-one pounds, crude car- 

 bolic acid and glj^cerine each two pints, 

 with distilled water suificient to make one 

 gallon. 2. One pound of arsenic, one pound 

 of bicarbonate of soda, one pint of salt, six 

 quarts of water. 3. Injection of arseniate 

 of potash, mixed in large quantity with 

 liquid soE^p. 4. Arseniate of soda, in sat- 

 urated solution, one gallon; carbolic acid, 

 eight ounces; glycerine, one-half pint. The 

 above formulse afford examples of the use 

 of arsenic, either in the form of arsenious 

 acid, arseniate of potassium, or arseniate of 

 sodium. As a rule, it was combined with 

 some salt of potash, carbolic acid and glycer- 

 ine. In a few instances it was reported as 

 being used alone in solution. 



Carbolic acid appears in a large number 

 of the formulse reported in use. In most 

 instances in combination with arsenic, some 

 salt of potash or soda or bichloride of mer- 

 cury. In few instances it is reported as 

 being used alone. 



Bichloride of mercury is also reported as 

 largely used alone or in combination with 

 arsenic, salts of potash or soda, carbolic acid 

 and glycerine; one formula being one five- 

 hundredth solution of bichloride of mer- 

 cury in mixture of water, glycerine and al 

 cohol; another, a mixture of bichloride oi 

 mercury, glycerine, carbolic acid and spirit. 

 The bicarbonate of potash, bicarbonate of 

 soda, nitrate of potash, as well as the chlor- 

 ide of sodium, appeared in a number of the 

 combinations employed. They are not re- 

 ported as possessing sufiicient preservative 

 power which would permit them to be used 

 alone. 



Glycerine appears to be a favorite agent, 

 as it forms a part of a large number of 

 formulse. The same may be said in a very 

 less degree however, with regard to the use 

 of alcohol. 



Formalin is reported in two instances, 



