74 PEACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



conducted under scientific and Government supervision have 

 abundantly proved its value. Its price is not great. For large 

 joints the following is the formula : 



No. 11. — Messrs. Medlock and Bailey's Formula. 



Bisulphite of lime, 1 gall. | Common salt, i pint. 



Water, 2 to 4 galls. 



The following, taken from the " Year Book of Pharmacy for 

 1880," appears to be a very efficient formula ; like all the rest of 

 such formulae, it contains a certain percentage of arsenious acid : 



A new Preserving Fluid. — Tiie Prussian Secretary of State for 

 Education has caused the publication of the follomng compound and 

 method of its application, discovered by Wickersheimer, the Preparator 

 of the Anatomical Museum of the University of Berlin, who had at first 

 patented the compound, bat was induced to renounce his patent claims : 



No. 12. — Wiclcersheimer s Preserving Liquid, No. 1. 



In 3000 parts of boiliag water dissolve 100 of alum, 25 of sodium 

 chloride, 12 of potassium nitrate, 60 of potassa, and 10 of arsenious acid, 

 let cool and filter. To every 10 litres * of the filtrate add 4 litres of 

 glycerine and 1 litre of methylic alcohol. 



Its application differs with the special objects to be preserved. In 

 general, the objects must be impregnated with it. If the objects are to 

 be preserved dry, they are soaked in the liquid from six to twelve days, 

 and afterwards dried in the air. 



Ligaments, muscles, and other animal objects remain perfectly soft 

 and movable. Hollow organs, as lungs and intestines, should be filled 

 with the liquid previous to immersion in it ; after being taken out, and 

 before drying, it is advisable to inflate them with air. Injecting the 

 liquid into a corpse will preserve the latter completely, and the muscular 

 tissue will always retain the natural colour of fresh corpses. To preserve 

 the outward appearance of the latter, they should be well impregnated 

 t^xternally and enclosed in air-tight cases ; this is only necessary to pre- 

 serve the exact original appearance ; if it is not done, the body will keep 

 equally well if thoroughly injected, but the exterior will gradually 

 become somewhat dry and dark coloured. Plants may likewise be 

 preserved by this liquid, f 



* A gram = 15-444 grains troy ; a litre = a little more than If pints. 



t So expensive a preparation is, I think, sufficiently well replaced by salf-., corrosive 

 sublimate, and distilled water (see Formula No. 27). M. DecandoUe exhibited, some 

 years since, a branch of a coffee tree which had been perfectly preserved for fifty years. 

 It was then pointed out that the efficacy of such solutions (saline) depended on their beinff 

 boiled and apphed to tne plants hot not boiling). 



