Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-11-09
THE GAZETTE.
TUESDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 9, 1858
PRESERVATION OF THE DEAD.
= From the London News

IL. FROM the LOnuou INc"e
The process pseented by NJ. Falcony, a
French chemist, for embalming and pre-
sersipg dead bodies, though it has TOR sew
eral years been IN use IN some Ut the pflnci-
nal cities ON the Continent, has hnt recently
been introduced into this country and even
vet j, is little known, if ct all, beyond the
limits of the medical profession. It's proba-
Bile. however. tbattbe highly successful re-
suit Of an experiment hich took place yester-
day at the Grovenon School of Medicine will
not only establish its efficiency among the
medical authorities of London, but will lead
to its general use throughout the county
- The preparations Of NJ. Falcony are OF two
Skinds-one, fluid, intended to preserve the
bodtfor an inde6pire period. and the CID
or powder. designed to prevent decomI o'i-
ton for a considerable time, or to arrest sctEe
pusrificstion ifn:bave already commencec'
Both processes were subjected to an examl-
nation yesterday, bat it was to toe ia''er, as
being Of greater importance anu othly than
the other, that attention was chiefly directed.
The subject Of the experiment was the
body of a man who died Of erysipelas on the
Dist of Sept. 1t was. taken to the school on
the Oath. in an advanced stage of putrefaction,
the head and feet being greatly swollen add
discolorsd. The trunk was also much decay
ed. and il was pronounced by DR.. Haitord,
the lecturer on anatomy, to be totally uttt
for dissection. On the following day, the
25th. NJ Falcony commenced his operations.
which were conducted in the presence OF sew
eral gentlsr6en of considerable professional
emiuence. He covered the bottom OF the cot
fin with his powder to the depth of about 3
inches: on this the body was placed, and then
covered over with the powder mixed with saw
dust 40 vehicle. 10 about ten minutes not
a trace Of the offensive smell remained, and
wheS she body was uncovered yesterday. at
tar the lapse Of between three and tour weeks
il was found to be in the came condition as
when it was put into the hands Of NJ. Falco-
nv. The powder bad arrested the putretae-
ton, and none Of these present were sensible
of spy unpleasant odor. A hand, into which
q small GUAM tity OF the fluid intended tor the
permanent preservation of the dead had been
Injected some weeks, was also produced. The
skin still remained white, and no smell was
elected, although the band had been placed
in water and subjected to other conditions IA
yorsble to deoom position.
DR.. Halford congratulated NJ. Falcony on
the successful result of bisexperiments which
value, and might be made extremely beneh-
DIAL 10 q sanitary poiot Of view. NJ. Felony,
delivered short address in French, IN which
he referred to the cordial reception he had
met with in England, and expatiated upon
the advantages which his discovery was cal
culated to confer on mankind-in the first
place, by the prevention of those innumera-
bic contagious diseases which result IRON the
miasmats enli.;-.i fFcm dead bodies in Ger
tain cases; seeondiy, hy preserving the remains
Of deceased -sons for the inspection OF
friends OK !e:a'iqea residing at distance,
and thirf;s. - su;:ssiyiug the purposes OF
jusi.ur IN cases If -r-pected poisoning. lie
id rat pretend. hs ssid, TO have brought this
Interesting Department o! chemical science to
perfection; what be had done would be sur
passed by others, but iitdut .tiayerk che min
and 10 the meantime We ought to avail our.
selves Of the advantages which society might
derive from his services.