AN IMPROVED MODE OF EMBALMING OR PRESERVING DEAD BODIES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engincer, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF EMBALMING OR PRESERVING DEAD BODIES."-
A communication from abroad by Charles Augustus Seely, Charles
James Eames, William Robert Cotton Clark, and Mary Louisa
Booth, all of the City and State of New York, United States of
America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 15th May 1868.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,'
No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF EMBALMING OR PRESERVING DEAD
BODIES," a communication, to be as follows:-
The nature of my Invention consists in the impregnation of dead
bodies with carbolic acid or other equivalent antiseptic liquid. I apply

page_text: the antiseptic liquid to the surface of the body, and also when deemed
advisable inject it into the stomach and intestinal canal.
For the external application I take a solution of the acid in water
or other convenient solvent, and wash the body with it by means of
a sponge or cloth, and when the first washing has been finished I
repeat the operation one or more times, or when convenient I immerse
the body in a weak solution of the acid for a short time, or I saturate
cloths with a solution of the acid, and then wrap or wind them around
the body and allow them to remain thereon. The body thus brought
in contact with the liquid absorbs it by degrees and the decomposition
of the body is arrested or prevented. I have found that in many cases
and especially in cold weather the external application of the antiseptic
liquid is sufficient to prevent change within a few days; but when
it is desirable to keep the body for a long time I inject a small quantity
of such antiseptic liquid into the cavities of the chest and abdomen.
I make the injection by means of a syringe and at the natural
external openings to the cavities. The amount of liquid to be injected
should be at least a few ounces, and there is no objection to the use
of such a quantity as will distend the cavities. In addition to the
applications of the antiseptic liquid as above described, I sometimes
find it useful to place cotton, wool, lint, or cloth saturated with the
acid in the nostrils and in the ears.
My process when carried out as above described is efficient for
the preservation of a body during the ordinary interval between death
and burial; but when the process is used as an embalming process,
or when there are no objections to making incissions in the body, I
prefer to inject the acid into the arteries and veins, or in addition to
the ordinary internal or external application of the acid I inject some
of the acid through an opening of the skull into the substance of
the brain. For a further security against the decomposition of
the body and especially when the cloths saturated with liquid are not
kept permanently thereon, I place at the bottom or sides of the coffin
sheets of felt or cloth or similar fibrous material which has been
saturated with the antiseptic liquid. In combination with carbolic
acid I sometimes use bi-sulphate of lime and bi-sulphato of soda and
a solution of sulphurous or acetic acid with advantage; but carbolic
acid is the most active and useful agent for the purpose, and any

page_text: addition thereto is not essential.
A mixture of carbolic acid and saw-
dust or other inert granular matter may often be advantageously used
in the bottom of the coffin.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 13th November 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, South-
ampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Con-
sulting Engineer, send grecting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake,. my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
MODE OF EMBALMING OR PRESERVING DEAD BODIES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I,, the said William Robert Lake, my executors.
or administrators, by an instrument. in writing under my, or their
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe. and ascor-.
tain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after:
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in aud
by the following statement :-

page_text: The nature of my Invention consists in the impregnation of dead
bodies with carbolic acid or other equivalent antiseptic liquid. I apply
the antiseptic liquid to the surface of the body, and also when deemed
advisable inject it into the stomach and intestinal canal and also into
the arteries, veins, and skull.
For the external application I take a solution of the acid in water
or other convenient solvent, and wash the body with it by means of
a sponge or cloth, and when the first washing has been finished I repeat
the operation one or more times, or when convenient I immerse the body
in a weak solution of the acid for a short time, or I saturate cloths with
a solution of the acid, and then wrap or wind the body in the cloths
so saturated and allow the cloths thus to remain on the body. The
body thus brought in contact with the liquid absorbs it by degrees,
and the decomposition of the body is arrested or prevented. I have
found that in many cases, and especially in cold weather, the external
application of the antiseptic liquid is sufficient to prevent change
within a few days; but when it is desirable to keep the body for a
long time I inject a small quantity of the antiseptic liquid into the
cavities of the chest and abdomen. I make the injection by means
of a syringe, and at the natural external openings to the cavities. The
amount of liquid to be injected should be at least a few ounces, and
there is no objection to the use of such a quantity as will distend the
cavities. In addition to the applications of the antiseptic liquid as above
described I sometimes find it useful to place cotton, wool, lint, or cloth
saturated with the acid in the nostrils and in the ears.
My process when carried out as above described is efficient for the
preservation of a body during the ordinary interval between death and
burial; but when the process is used as an embalming process, or when
there are no objections to making incisions in the body I prefer to
inject the acid into the arteries and veins; or in addition to the ordinary
internal or external application of the acid I inject some of the acid
through an opening of the skull into the substance of the brain.
For a further security against the decomposition of the body, and
especially when the cloths saturated with liquid are not kept per-
manently about the body, I place at the bottom or sides of the coffin
sheets of felt, or cloth, or similar fibrous material which has been
saturated or dampened with the antiseptic liquid. In combination with
carbolic acid I sometimes use bi-sulphate of lime and bi-sulphate of

page_text: soda and a solution of sulphurous or acetic acid with advantage, but
carbolic acid has been found the most active and useful agent for tho
purpose, and any addition thereto is not essential to a successful result.
A mixture of carbolic acid and sawdust or other inert granular matter
may often be advantageously used in the bottom of the coffin.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondents, and shown how the same may
be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I claim as
my Invention,
First., The process for preserving dead bodies, substantially as
described.
Second. The use of carbolic acid and combinations of carbolic acid
with other substances for the preservation and embalming of dead
bodies.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Thirteenth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
cight.
WLAN RODENT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
THO. N. PALMER,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
8, Southampton Buildings,
W. C.