PRESERVATION OF BODIES FOR ANATOMICAL PURPOSES. 221 
DETECTION OE BLOOD STAINS. 
In medico-legal inquiries, it is often of the utmost im¬ 
portance to determine the character of red spots on linen or 
steel, supposed to be blood stains. M. Brucke has recently 
published the following method, as being superior to those in 
common use:—“Wash the spot with cold distilled water. 
To the reddish liquor thus obtained add a solution of sea 
salt, and evaporate to dryness, in vacuo , over a vessel con¬ 
taining sulphuric acid. Examine the dry residue well through 
a microscope, in order to verify whether it contain any matter 
that might be mistaken for Tetchmann’s crystals; then add 
a little highly concentrated acetic acid ; evaporate again to 
dryness; moisten the residue with water ; and then, if there 
really be blood in the spots, the microscope will reveal unmis¬ 
takable crystals of haematin.”— Lancet. 
PRESERVATION OE BODIES EOR ANATOMICAL PURPOSES. 
Professor Budge has found that bodies may be ad¬ 
mirably preserved for a long period of time, whether for 
anatomical purposes, or for courses of operative surgery, bv 
injecting into the carotid a preservative fluid composed of 
pyroligneous acid and sulphate of zinc, of each from eight to 
twelve drachms to seven pounds of water. Bodies thus 
injected have kept during eight weeks of intense summer 
heat, without giving rise to any putrefactive smell, the mus¬ 
cles retaining their red colour, and though a little softened, 
admitting of good dissection. The injection does not 
prevent the subsequent injection of coloured matters; 
and the knives used in dissection scarcely suffer at all.— 
{Virchow's Archiv , Band xv, p. 172 .)—Medical Times and 
Gazette . 
