^Januaey 17, 1896.] 



SCIENCE. 



83 



of months, would be effective. The use of 

 salts of potassa is advised in a number of 

 instances, and, as is well known, they are 

 of value in combinations, the effect being 

 not only in a slight degree preservative, but 

 is also manifest on the color of the tissues. 

 The use of arsenic solutions is objected to 

 by students on account of the irritation of 

 the fingers which is produced. While there 

 may be a few instances in which this ob- 

 jection becomes a matter of serious impor- 

 tance, it may be regarded as of minor im- 

 portance in a great majority of cases. The 

 objection against the use of glycerine is the 

 production of mould, which occurs as the 

 result of the hygroscopic action. The ex- 

 pense attending the use of alcohol is such 

 as to forbid its employment in any large 

 quantity for injection or storage purposes. 

 Formalin is reported as effective as a pre- 

 servative and storage agent, but its cost is 

 a strong objection against its use. The 

 committee believes that the method of 

 preservation by means of cold storage is 

 the best which could be employed, but the 

 question of expense of the introduction of a 

 plant necessary for this purpose is a very 

 serious one. In cities where more than 

 one medical institution is situated, it seems 

 feasible to have a central plant in which 

 subjects required in all the institutions can 

 be stored, with the division of expense made 

 amongst those entering into the arrange- 

 m.ent. As to the time in which subjects 

 should be injected which are kept in cold 

 storage plants, it is desirable that this should 

 be done prior to their deposit. They will 

 be ready to place at once upon the table, 

 and it is believed the injections can be bet- 

 ter made before deposit rather than after 

 they have remained some time under the 

 influence of the cold. 



Reference is made to the use of the so- 

 lution of chloride of zinc as a preservative 

 agent of value, especially where it is neces- 

 sary to collect subjects during the summer 



months, and to keep them in a solution of a 

 salt. Solutions of chloride of zinc will, with- 

 out doubt, not only prevent but arrest 

 decomposition. The bleaching properties 

 which it possesses and which it exerts upon 

 the tissues is a very serious objection. This 

 agent is used largely, if not, altogether in 

 the medical institutions of Philadelphia, to 

 which are supplied each year over seven 

 hundred subjects. It is used as an injec- 

 tion in the proportion of one-half to one- 

 third of a fifty-per cent, of solution of neu- 

 tral reaction, a subject of average weight 

 requiring from four to six quarts. 



In the replies given as to the cost of the 

 reception, preservation and injection of sub- 

 jects a wide difference is observed. It is evi- 

 dently impossible, unless subjects are trans- 

 ported without cost, to reduce the cost per 

 subject for reception, injection and preser- 

 vation to $1.00 each. Under the provisions 

 of a well framed law, it is believed that the 

 delivery of subjects should not exceed as an 

 average from $5.00 to $8.00, and the injec- 

 tion and preservation should be accom- 

 plished by an additional expenditure of 

 $5.00, making the cost of each when placed 

 upon the table about $12.00. 



Less than one-half of the replies received 

 as to the supply of anatomical material con- 

 tained the statement that the supply was 

 adequate. In an equal number the supply 

 was stated to be not sufiicient and the re- 

 maining number reported that more sub- 

 jects could be used if obtainable. The con- 

 clusion to be deduced from these statements 

 is manifestly to the efiect that the supply 

 of anatomical material in our medical in- 

 stitutions is not as great as it should be. 



The number of students assigned to each 

 subject were stated in the replies received 

 to vary from four to sixteen. Here again, it 

 is to be observed, a wide difference is ex- 

 pressed. The number on one hand to be 

 too small to obtain the proper economy in 

 the use of material, and on the other hand 



