History of embalming, and of preparations in anatomy, pathology, and natural history ; including an account of a new process for embalming by Gannal J.-N. (Jean-Nicolas) 1791-1852 & Harlan Richard 1796-1843 ed. & tr

Author:Gannal, J.-N. (Jean-Nicolas), 1791-1852 & Harlan, Richard, 1796-1843, ed. & tr
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Embalming, Anatomical specimens
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. Dobson
Published: 1840-03-25T05:00:00+00:00

body; but this study is difficult and presents numerous dangers. The study of the organs exacts time; their dissection is tedious, especially if intended for demonstration. In this case it almost always happens that putrefaction seizes the sabject before the preparation is finished; for, at a temperature above fifteen degrees, it is impossible to preserve a subject more than six days; under this temperature, that is to say, firom 0 to 10 degrees, the longest time one can disssect is twelve or fifteen day^. But the corpse always exhales mephitic miasmata before all the organs are putrefied, and this emanation of gas is certainly the cause which most frequently determines typhus fever, so destructive to a portion of our studious youths/

Before exposing my own researches upon the preservation of bodies, it was necessary to examine the researches anterior to mine; it will have been perceived by what precedes, that they were of no service to me.

Thus, in viewing all that has been effected on this matter, I can find no indications excepting the processes employed in the arts.

In our works of chemistry applied to the arts, I have often been able to prove, practically, that muscular flesh, perfectly isolated, easily dries. When it is mixed with gelatine, it easily experiences, on the' contrary, putrid fermentation. Geline* is the

^ Out of ten medical students lodging together, and frequently of the same amphitheatre, nine were attacked by this grave malady in the course of last year, and three of them died.

2 Up to the present, certain animal substances have been considered chemically identical, which are not so; 1, the proper matter of gelati-

PRESERVATION OF OBJECTS dP ANATOMY^ &C. 201

smimal matter, which, all cironmstances being equal, putrefies the easiest; and which, forming the or^gaas of animals, experiences an alteration more or less prompt, according to the prevalence of a greater or less quantity of water of cdmposition present Al* ways, then, when we succeed in preserving from putrefaction this animal part, the other parts will be disposed to desiccation. My reseaxches have con^ ducted me to this conclui^on. " In order to find a method of preservitlg bodies^ and animal matters in general^ it was essential to examine ^e action of cbemieal substances to which may be attriburted properties which produce upon the constituent parte of these matters an immediate action; it is necessary also, that they should be e»^y procured, and that they be of a moderate^ price. I am satisfied that acids do not preserve ani--mal matters; they disorganize them more or less prompdy, in direct proportion to their concentrati:on. Many weak adds, among others hytdrochloric aeid> at five degrees, may be emj^dyed to dissoire the oalcareous^ sahs from the bones; nitiic acid also, at Ave degrees, may be brought into use in some particular cases; for example, when it is wished to study the nervouis system; but then the bones are sofkcnaed, the geliHe is in part disorganized, tiiie mus^

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