S02 
Dr. Granville's essay on 
ther corroborated by the peculiar taste of the infusion. Now, 
as every particle of the bandages had been equally died with 
this vegetable solution ; and as it appears evident, from other 
circumstances, that such a process had not been adopted for 
the sake of giving to the envelopes of the mummy the par- 
ticular colour in question, may we not infer that the Egyp- 
tian embalmers were acquainted with the antiseptic power 
of astringent and slightly bitter vegetable infusions, a power 
which modern discoveries have attributed to the presence of 
the peculiar principle already mentioned ? 
This inference is confirmed by the second fact to be noticed, 
namely, the appearance and condition of the integuments, 
which, besides being of a dark brown colour, differ in no 
respect from prepared leather, particularly those of the abdo- 
men, the thighs, and the mammae. The Society will have an 
opportunity of examining several portions of these integu- 
ments, and will be struck with the similarity alluded to. 
Indeed they might be taken for prepared leather at first 
sight, and the knowledge which I obtained, by a second series 
of experiments, that a solution of some vegetable astringent, 
similar to that used for the bandages, but much stronger, had 
been employed to produce that appearance, must prove con- 
clusive on this point. A question then will naturally arise, 
was it the bark of the acacia, so plentiful in Egypt, that was 
employed for the purpose ; or did the Egyptians import oak 
bark from the coast of Syria, where that tree grows in 
abundance * 
* It is not improbable, that a gum, not unlike kino, may have been the sub- 
stance used for the purpose of tanning the integuments, as I found, among the vari- 
ous lumps of resin contained in the abdomen, several portions of such a substance. 
