The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-09-21
AD;alIaAinng for All.

This has been called " the age of
mrnbug;" whether the maladv be
acute or chronic, however, no observer
of the times can doubt that so far as
:" humbug" is concerned, the disease is
epidemic:
Much has recently been said in the
journals of this city in regard to pro-
cess of cmbalminy as practiccd by a
certain DIR. Plate, and an effort has
been made i'll certain journals to i1n-
press the public with the idea that the
gentleman referred to is really the dis
covcrcr OF the process. But let us
" Render to Cesar the things that ar.
C;csar's.''
To practical anatomists, the discovc
ry OF some liquid capable of prcscrv-
ing animal matter from decay, has long
been Il dcSidcrltum as earnestly
sought, perhaps, rs WAS the pliloso-
piers stone by alchymists, and seem
ingly with as little success, until DR..
Suc4uet, Of France, at length hit upon
a method of injecting the subject.
which accomplished the purpose so adj
mirably that his numerous "prcpara-
TONS in the .Museum~ef Compare
tive Anatomyat the EcoIe DC Mcdi-
c,ne' III PayIs, are looked upon by most
ooseryes as wax preparations, 50 en-
tlte+y free arc they from all offensive
'odor. They are embalmed.
The French Academy of Sciences,
at its annual public sitting held on the
22d Of AIu,cll, 1862, among others,
awarded the following prize ):
.:-A prize Of two thousands francs
was awarded to M. Sucquet, for his
improved method of preserving bodies,
by the injection ofan antisccptic liquid
through the carotid arteries. This pre-
scrvativc liquid is prepared as follows:
n current Of sulphurous acid gas is
passed through a solution of carbonate
OF soda, of the strength of from twcn-
ty to twenty-five degrees Baumc Tsp.
gr. l.l6O to l.lS0), until the whole of
tic carbonic acid is displaced, and the
solution contains slight excess of sui
purous acid. The fluid should then
have Il specific gravity Of 200. 1t is
next placed III vessel containing clip
pings OF zinc, and allowed to remain
III contact with the metal until it has
become scnsib;y ncutral-thc blade of
Il knife dipped into it not turning
brown on exposure to the air. From
four to six li,rcs, (about IL gallon or
gallon anda half of this preparation
are employed to inject II subject. AT:
ter twcnty-tour hours dissection may
be proceeded with, and continued, with
out amy Inconvenience, for twenty.
thirty, or even forty days. One of
the great advantages arising from the
employment Of tho sulphitc OF soda
consists in the beneficial influence it
cXcrts III eases of accidents to which
the operator is subject in the dissccting
room"
Another preparation, which will sue
coed equally well with the above, is
the following Throw clipping of
zinc into nuriatic acid until the liquid
ceases to ctlervcscc, and will no longer
stain knife blade, and then inject us
before.
Animal matter subjected to the ac-
ton of either of these preparations
will no longer dccolnposo when
exposed to the air. ltmay be that the
process of DIR. Plate differs from eth
CT of the above, but, rs he claims to
have been associated with NJ. Sucquct,
it seems probable that the process of
the Two are one and the same.
The above information will, doubt
less, prove interesting to many of your
readers, and as the matter has already
been brought before the public, Cat
present this process costs Sl00), it is
only fair that the public should be
made aware of what the French Aca-
DENY Of Sciences have so literally
purchased for the use of the entire
world.
| remain, yours, truly,
DoCTEuR.
--za. Z -ege.t