80 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. III. No. 55. 



in one of which it was used in connection 

 with the preservation of human subjects, 

 and another in the preservation of an ani- 

 mal. In the latter instance the agent was 

 used in the proportion of one part to two 

 hundred parts of water. The animal was 

 injected with the solution thus prepared 

 and the body was placed in a tank with a 

 large quantity of fluid which was changed 

 after a period of one week, then after a 

 period of three weeks and strengthened from 

 time to time by the addition of a little for- 

 malin. Experience obtained in this case 

 was that, to malje the injection of this 

 agent effective, the body should be 

 thoroughly injected, washing out the blood 

 if possible, and if the body is not to be dis- 

 sected at once it should be placed in a re- 

 ceptacle capable of being sealed up to pre- 

 vent the escape of formalin, and to prevent 

 the formation of mould it should at all 

 times be covered by the solution. The 

 cost of the formalin was stated to be $1.65 

 per pound package for a forty per cent, 

 solution. 



6. As to the point in which injections 

 were made there were reported two in the 

 heart, nineteen in the common carotid 

 artery, and six in the common femoral 

 artery. As to the condition of the tissues 

 after injection but few replies were received 

 and these were not satisfactory. AVith re- 

 gard to the time in which material can be 

 kept and used in dissection, the replies in- 

 clude periods from three weeks to one year. 

 Five reported having used or were using 

 the method of preservation by cold storage. 

 The cost of the plant being from $500 to 

 $3,000. 



6. The cost of receiving and preserving 

 material is stated to be from $1 to $25 per 

 subject. 



7. In fifteen cases the supply of material is 

 stated to be sufficient and in fifteen not 

 sufficient. In a number it was stated to be 

 adequate, but more could be used if obtain^ 



able. The number of students were re- 

 ported as assigned to each subject to vary 

 from four to sixteen. 



While the committee feels that the infor- 

 mation gathered through the circular letter 

 was not in some respects sufficiently specific 

 to enable it to arrive at definite conclusions, 

 upon the subject under consideration, yet 

 it believes that certain statements may be 

 made and conclusions deduced which will 

 be of value to teachers of anatomy and 

 those interested in the collection and pre- 

 servation of anatomical material. 



The committee regards it in everj' way 

 as a matter to be most favorably com- 

 mented on that out of the 42 replies from 

 institutions 30 contained information that 

 anatomical material was obtained for the 

 purposes of instruction under the provisions 

 of the law. An examination of the copies 

 of the law which were sent to the chairman 

 of the committee shows them to be defec- 

 tive in many respects, giving evidence in 

 the provisions incorporated in the laws of 

 a strong feeling on the part of legislators 

 against the enactment of laws controlling 

 the disposition of dead human bodies for 

 the purpose of dissection. This feeling has 

 no doubt its origin in a fear that by so doing 

 they will expose themselves to criticism, if 

 not to censure, by their constituents. This 

 sentiment it believes can be largely changed 

 by the influence exerted upon the public 

 mind by the members of the medical pro- 

 fession. In every community it should be 

 the effort of the medical profession to 

 educate public opinion upon this point. 

 To place before the public the great neces- 

 sity which exists for the use of dead human 

 bodies in providing the proper instruction 

 of students in medicine, and the great pro- 

 tection afforded the citizens in each State 

 by the enactment of laws which will regu- 

 late the supply of anatomical material and 

 thus afford protection to the dead and pre- 

 vent the desecration of their resting places. 



