THE PREPARATION OF SKELETONS i6i 



The system adopted in the Leicester Museum is to skin and 

 eviscerate any animal, to take out the brains, to trim as much 

 flesh as possible from the bones, and to let the carcase soak 

 in strong salt and water, constantly changed, for a time ranging 

 from a few hours to two or three days, or even longer, accord- 

 ing to the size of the subject, to remove the blood. When 

 it is taken out, the long-bones are drilled from end to end 

 with tool No. 21, and the marrow, etc., removed by water 

 forced through by a syringe. Then the bones are all properly 

 scraped with the backs of knives or with blunt tools, such 

 as No. 32 and others, and finally rubbed with salt, which 

 clears them nicely of the periosteum, care being taken not 

 to disarticulate the smaller bones, and all are then wired in 

 their proper positions. 



Probably this wiring, in the larger mammals, may be pro- 

 visional only, being roughly done, and with galvanised wire to 

 be afterwards replaced ; but in quite small things the wiring is 

 artistically done, and the silver or copper wiring is definitive. 

 The bones are next put into water, which is often changed — 

 say twice a week in warm weather ; they are then taken out, 

 dried by exposure to the sun and air, put into water again, and 

 so on until nicely whitened, and no bleaching by chloride of 

 lime, nor by chlorine in any form, nor by lime in any form is 

 ever necessary, and therefore bones managed in this way are 

 strong, sharp, and clear, and there is no fear of losing the 

 smallest bone, whilst the cleanly and inodorous character of 

 the process is a sufficient recommendation. 



Of course with large subjects, and indeed with nearly all, the 

 carcase may be conveniently divided into six parts — the skull, 

 the body or " cage," and the four limbs- — whilst being cleaned 

 and wired. 



Boiling the bones, after steeping in salt and wiring, is the 

 quickest and most cleanly process of all, but is apt, unless all 



