4S0 
THE PRESERVATION OF LEECHES. 
Various vessels have been constructed, and many contrivances proposed to 
avoid loss, but I do not know of one which has answered perfectly. 
The aquarium is perhaps the prettiest and most scientific, but there are diffi¬ 
culties connected with its use. 
For nearly twelve months I have adopted a very simple, but very effectual 
remedy for the preservation of these useful creatures in a healthy condition, and 
securing me against loss. 
I use an ordinary ornamental leech-jar, change the water daily, keep the jar 
clean by means of a sponge kept for the purpose ; three-parts fill the jar with 
good spring water, and throw in ten, twenty, or thirty grains of the oxide of 
manganese, washed and levigated for dispensing purposes. 
I consider about thirty grains is enough for 100 leeches, and renewed daily. 
I now never see an unhealthy leech in my stock. I was led to adopt this 
plan by witnessing the beneficial effects of manganese administered to patients. 
If you think the above worth publication in your journal, I hope many chemists 
will profit by my experience, and I shall be glad to hear that tkj same experi¬ 
ment, tried by others, yields results as satisfactory. 
I remain, yours truly, 
C. F. Bevan. 
Harwich, February 14, 1864. 
SOME CURIOUS FACTS RELATIVE TO THE PRESERVATION OF 
LEECHES. 
Although well aware how tenacious of life leeches are, still I was not prepared for the 
following fact regarding them:—When we sailed from Australia, in the month of Febru¬ 
ary, 1862, in the Great Britain steamship, about three dozen Australian leeches were 
put into a wide-mouthed green glass bottle, and hung in the surgery of that ship. The 
water supplied to them was formed of the condensed steam from the boilers. Sea-water, 
as every one must know, is pumped from the sea into the boilers; and in the 4 Great 
Britain/ I presume in other ships also, a condensing apparatus condenses the steam, 
which otherwise would escape, and converts it into fresh water, which is in general use 
on board. Although this water is not so delicious as “sparkling spring,” still I drank 
freely of it, as I knew it was pretty pure. The leeches occasionally seemed uneasy, evi¬ 
dently from the lack of oxygen in the water, and “ mounted aloft ” above the surface of 
the water in the bottle, until, I should say, it had absorbed atmospheric air. The now- 
proved universality of the germs of life fully accounted for the source of their nutriment 
in the condensed steam of sea-water, else on what could they subsist ? Notwithstanding 
the unfavourable circumstances, both as to water, great and sudden changes of climate, 
from the ice of Cape Horn to the heat of the tropics, etc., which the leeches had to en¬ 
dure, still but two leeches died during the entire voyage from Australia to England. 
The Australian leech, which abounds in almost every river and lagoon in that country, 
differs but little from that in ordinary use with us. The olive streaks of the former are 
of a much lighter shade. I do not remember to have seen any maculated. A medical 
gentleman from that country told me they are found most excellent for use. They are 
taken by throwing a fresh sheepskin into a lagoon, to which they closely stick until it is 
drawn out, when they are picked off. 
Last year I kept leeches in common distilled water for a long time, and found they 
lived very well in it. I would, however, strongly recommend some sub-aquatic weed to 
be put into the water with leeches, as, in my experience, and of others who have tried 
it, it will be found to lessen the mortality extremely; while, in addition, it obviates the 
necessity for changing the water so often .—Dublin Quarterly Journal of Medical Science. 
