The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-09-10
EmbalniOg for Aal.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK HEr

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK HERALD.
This has been called "the age OF humbug;"
whether the malady be acute or chronic, however,
no observer of the times can doubt that so far MS
"humbug'' is concerned, the disease is epidemic.
Much has recently been said ia the journals OF
this city in regard to process Of embalming as
practised by certain DR.. PLATE and effort
has been made in certain journals to impress the
public with the idea that the gentleman referred to
IS really the discoverer of the process. But let us
: Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars"
To practical ANTAGONISTS, the discovery Of some
liquid capable OF preserving amin al matter from do
cay. has long been dcsideratum as earnestly
sought, pernaps, as was the philosophers stone
by the alcbymists, and seemingly with rs little
success until DR. Sucquet, in France. at length hit
upon method of injecting the subject, which ac-
complished the purpose admirably that his nume-
1ous preparations in the g Museum Of Compar
tive Anatomy" at the Ecole de Medicine in Paris,
are locked upon by most observers as wax prepare.
tons, so entirely free are they from all offensive
odor. They are embalmed.
The French Academy of Sciences, at its annual
public sitting held on the 22d Of March, 1852,
among Others awarded the following prize
"A prize of two thousand francs was awared to
NJ Sucquet, for his improved method of preserving
bodies, by the injection of an antisceptic liquid
through the carotid arteries. This preseryative
liquid is prepared as folows:-A current of sulphur
Gus acid gas is passed through solution Of carbon
ate of soda. of the strength Of from twenty to
twenty. two degrees Baume Tsp. or l l6O to 1907.
until the whole Of the carbonic acid is displaced,
and the solution contains a slight excess Of sui
phurous acid. The fluid should then have specific
gravity OF / 200. 1t is next placed in vessel con-
tanning clippings Of zinc, and allowed to remain in
contact with the metal until it has become sensibly
peutral-the blade of knife dipped into it not
tuning brown on exposure to the air. From four
to six litres (about gallon or gallon and half
ofthis preparation employed to inject subject.
After twenty four hours dissection may be proceed
ed With, and continued, without any Inconvenience,
for twenty, thirty, or even forty days One Of the
great advantages arising from the employment Of
the ulphite OF soda consists in the beneficial in
fuence it exerts in of the accidents TO which
the operator is subject in the dissecting ROOM
Another preparation, which viii succeed equally
well with the above, is the folio wing Throw
clippings Of zinc into muriatic acid until the liquid
ceases to effcryesce, and will 10 longer stain knife
blade, and then inject as before.
Animal matter subjected to the action Of either
of these preparations will no longer decompose
when exposed to the air 1t may be that the
process OF DR.. Plate differs from either of the above
but, as he claims to have been as ociated with NJ
Sucquet, il seems probable that The process of the
two and the same.
The above information will, doubtless prove in
teresting to many of your readers, and the mat
ter has already been brought before the public Cat
present This process costs $780, it is only fair that
the public sh ud be made aware of what the French
Academy of Sciences has so literally purchased for
the use Of the entire world.
rem ain, yours, truly, DoCTEUR