PRESEEYATIVE POWDERS, WASHES, ETC. 73 



over witli Waterton's Solution (previously given) or the following, 

 whicli ought to preserve tlie specimen from tlie attacks of 

 insects : 



No. 10. — Preservative Wash. 



Corrosive sublimate, loz. I Tincture of camphor (or musk), 



Methylated spirits, 1 quart. | loz. 



This solution must be kept in a bottle, carefully labelled 

 *' Poison," and when used is not to be touched with the hands, 

 but laid on with a brush. 



It constantly happens that parts of the bodies of animals — 

 notably their fore and hind limbs, and their heads even — are 

 required to be preserved for some considerable time for purposes 

 of modelling their contour or muscles ; it then becomes 

 necessary to find som.c preparation which will keep large pieces 

 of flesh sufficiently sweet and firm to model from. For the first 

 edition, I had written to a scientific friend as to the preparations 

 now in use at the various hospitals for the preservation of 

 subjects, &c., to which he answered : 



As far as I can glean from various sources, the medical profession 

 has only within the last few years attempted to preserve whole bodies. 

 Parts have, of course, been preserved in alcohol of some kind until they 

 have literally crumbled away. At St. George's Hospital they use a 

 preservative Suid, invented by the hospital porter (dissecting-room 

 porter). The subjects are kept in a elate tank filled with the fluid. To 

 shovi- the efficiency of this fluid, I might mention that the first subject 

 arrived much decomposed some months since, but is now quite fresh and 

 sweet. The muscles inevitably lose a little cf their colour in the pre- 

 paration, which is all the change as yet observed. At Guy's is used a 

 preparation of glycerine and arsenic, but at the present moment I do not 

 recollect the exact proportions. At King's College, the method invented 

 by Sterling, of Edinburgh, is used. All other hospitals have the old 

 methods in vogue, euch as preparations of arsenic. 



Since then, I have had occasion to go more deeply into 

 the subject and have used some of the formulae which follow, 

 viz., rectified spirits, Moller's Solution, and various preparations 

 of lime. 



Messrs. Medlock and Bailey's bisulphite of lime (calcium) is 

 most highly recommended by analytical experts for preserving 

 large joints of meat and fish; and, indeed, the experiments 



