A STARCH INJECTION MASS. 



(To replace pp. 139-140, Wilder and Gage's Anaromical Technology.) 



[From The New York Medical Journal, June 7, 1884.] 



A coarse injection mass which is cold-flowing, may be forced nearly 

 to the capillaries, rapidly hardens after injection, leaves the vessels flexible, 

 does not dull dissecting instruments, is suitable for permanent dry or alco- 

 holic preparations, is simple in its manipulation, cleanly and economical, 

 seems to be fully realized in the starch mass introduced by Ad. Pansch, of 

 Kiel, and since recommended, with various modifications, by Wikszemski, 

 Dalla Rosa, Meyer, and Browning.* 



As starch is insoluble in alcohol and cold water, it becomes hard when 

 injected into the blood-vessels simply by the exudation of the liquid with 

 which it is mixed. (That the starch grains forming the mass remain en- 

 tirely unchanged may be easily demonstrated by making a microscopic ex- 

 amination of the contents of an injected vessel. ) 



The mass originally recommended by Pansch consisted of wheat-flour 

 and cold water, to which was added a sufiicient quantity of the desired 

 coloring matter. Later experiments have shown that pure starch is better 

 than flour. 



Mass for Ordinary Injecftions : 



Dry starch ( ' 'laundry" is good ) i vol. 



2]/^ per cent, aqueous solution of chloral hydrate, i " 



95 per cent, alcohol, f /^ 



Color, •••■ % " 



Since almost any animal injected may afford some organ worth preserv- 

 ing, it seems better to employ permanent colors for tingeing the mass. 

 Among those which are available, probably vermilion, red lead, ultrama- 

 rine, chrome orange, yellow, or green, are prefe rable. , 



* See Ad. Pansch, " Archiv filr Anatomie und Entwickl.," 1877, pp. 480-482, and 

 1881. pp, 76-78 ; Wikszemski, same journal, 1880, pp. '232-234 ; Dalla Rossa, same, pp. 

 371-377 • Herm. von Meyer, same, 1882, pp. 60, 61, and 1883, pp. 265, 266 ; Brown- 

 ing, "Annals of Anatomy and Surgery," 1884. pp. 24, 25. 



t The chloral and alcohol prevent fermentation in the mass when it is kept in stock ; 

 the alcohol also increases the fluidity and likewise the more rapid hardening in the ves- 

 sels ; both, of course, act as a preservative upon the animal injected. 



