The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-08-15
AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.
"A New Process for Preserving indefinitely
the Human Body After Death.
from the New York Post

the human Body After Death.
I From the New York Post.1
A new method for preserving the hu.
man body after death has lately beer
employed in this city with astonishing
results. It had previously been tried in
oan FRANCISCO and st. Louis, but only q
shght degree of publicity was given to
the experiments. In this city the matter
mas purposely been kept from the press
until arrangements for the general use
OF the process were perfected. These
DETAILS having been adjusted, the in
ventor OF the method and his agent are
now willing that the fullest information
on the subject should be given to the
public. " '-o
The author of this discovery is DR..
Samuel Rodgers, lately of San Fran
CISCO. In conversation with a repre-
SENTATIVE OF the Evening Post, he said
tna5 ne had been practicing physician
Tor eighteen years, and during the last
eleven years had given much attention
to the study Of chemistry. About two
years ago he made number of exneri-
ments with view to the preservation
OF meats by chemical treatment. but
his success was only partial. He COM
pounded liquid which would keep meat
fresh tor an indefinite period, but it i'm
parted disagreeable flavor, and was.
therefore, OF no value for practical pur-
poses. About this time there was much
discussion IN the newspapers and else
where on the subject of cremation. in
consequence of the burning of the BODY
OF the Baron de Palm, which was per-
formed with much ceremony in Penn
sylvania. The chief argument of the
advocates OF cremation was the fact that
1t oovlated all the danger to health and
the shock to sentiment which were
caused by the decomposition of the
dead. 1t occurred to DR.. Rodgers that
he had within his grasp the means of &C
comprising all that could be gained
by cremation in a sanitary point of
view, and, at the same time. of preserv-
ing the body after death without injury
TO form or feature. He began expert
ments for this object, and the result was
the perfection of the discovery.
DR.. Rodgers prepared chemical So
luton which has been named sallek-
ton, from Greek word meaning sseyer-
lasting" The formula for it's prepar-
alton is secret. It is a light yellow
liquid, with peculiar smoky odor re-
sembling the smell of tar. In ordinary
cases, where it is desired to preserve the
body but for three or four days, it is only
necessary, DR.. Rodgers says, to brush |
it over with the liquid, and decompo-
sltlon is entirely prevented in the hot
test weather. At the same time the
body is given a wonderfully natural ap
pearance. When the fatal disease was
Of nature to hasten decomposition, or
it is desired to preserve the body for
long period, there is some further treat
ment. The umbilicus is slightly pune
5ured with needle, and, with common
aand-syringe, some Of the liquid is in
ected into the thoracic and abdominal
cavities. No incision is made, and there
is no injection into the veins or arteries.
The whole of this simple process takes
up but twenty or thirty minutes. It re-
lulres, on the average, about gallon of
he liquid, which can be supplied to
at a cost of only SIS.