IMPROVEMENTS IN EMBALMING AND PRESERVING FROM DECAY HUMAN BODIES AND BODIES OF OTHER ANIMALS ALSO PICKLING CURING AND FLAVORING ANIMAL BODIES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Morgan, of 23, Stephen's Green North, in the
City of Dublin, Esquire, F.R.C.S.I., for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN EMBALMING AND PRESERVING FROM DECAY HUMAN BODIES AND BODIES OF
OTHER ANIMALS ALSO PICKLING CURING AND FLAVORING ANIMAL BODIES."
Sealed the 9th June 1863, and dated the 14th February 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Morgan at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th February
1863.
I, JOHN MORGAN, of 23, Stephen's Green North, in the City of Dublin,
Esquire, F.R.C.S.I., do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN EMBALMING AND PRESERVING FROM DECAY HUMAN BODIES AND
BODIES OF OTHER ANIMALS, ALSO PICKLING, CURING, AND FLAVORING ANIMAL
BODIES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar process of embalming and preserving
from decay hunian bodies and bodies of other animals, applicable also to the
pickling, curing, and flavouring of animal bodies generally.
In carrying out this Invention it is proposed to employ any suitable pre-
servative fluid, but it is preferred to use a saline solution consisting of chloride

page_text: of sodium and nitre, or solutions of an analogous nature, perfumed with spices,
and flavoured or not, as required. This or any other suitable preservative
solution is to be injected into and through the circulatory organs of the body
to be preserved, or flavoured by any suitable or well-known contrivance, which
will cause the preservative or flavouring fluid to pass through the arteries and
veins, and finally to be retained therein and so percolate throughout the entire
mass of the body.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Morgan, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th August 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MORGAN, of 23, Stephen's Green North, in the City of Dublin, Esquire,
F.R.C.S.I., send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Morgan, Her special license that I, the said John Morgan, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Morgan, my executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN EMBALMING AND
PRESERVING FROM DECAY, HUMAN BODIES AND BODIES OF OTHER ANIMALS, ALSO
PICKLING, CURING, AND FLAVORING ANIMAL BODIES," upon the condition. (amongst
others) that I, the said John Morgan, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, or under the hand and.
seal of one of them, should particularly describe and ascertain 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.
TE, that I, the said Jonn Morgan, do hereby declare

page_text: the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say:-
My said Invention consists in introducing into animal bodies preservative
fluids by means of the natural channels of the circulation, whereby structures
are permeated by the fluids, whether for preservation for the purpose merely
of embalmment, as in the case of human bodies, where poisonous solutions
may be used for the purpose of the dissecting room, or preservation in sealed
cases of glass or other material in place of coffins to be kept in mausoleums,
vaults, or otherwise. It further consists in preserving, curing, or preparing
animal bodies intended to be used for food, such as beef, swine, and all the
mammalia and birds (as well as the lower animals in some instances), by
impregnating their bodies with salt, salt and saltpetre, salt and muriate of
ammonia, or other salts, sugar, treacle, or materials for preservative, flavoring,
coloring, medicating, and other purposes. I propose by this process to cure
and preserve not only the bodies but the hides of animals where it is
desired.
For Embalment of Human Bodies.-For Adults.-In embalming human
bodies the breast bone or sternum is to be first cut down the centre, or the
cartilages of the ribs where they join the sternum is to be divided, and the
sternum or breast bone raised up. The pericardium or bag containing the
heart will be thereby exposed; open this longitudinally and transversely, so
that the surface of the heart will be exposed; an incision is then made in the
left ventricle, that is, on the left-hand side of the mark or furrow that is on
the front of the heart, or an incision may be made in the aorta or great vessel
near the base of the heart, and a pipe or tube of about eight inches in length
introduced into this vessel; a stout twine doubled is then to be passed under-
neath this vessel, near the base of the heart, the finger and thumb grasping
the vessel, or a large aneurism needle or curved wire may be used if more
convenient; it will now be found that the finger and thumb or cord, if tied,
will enclose two vessels, into one of which the pipe is introduced; the other,
which is softer and not so large (in front of aorta), leads to the lungs; tie the
cord, having made two of it, round these two vessels, the pipe being in the
hinder one, and fasten the cords; when securely tied to the pipe near its outer
end (which must be provided with a stop-cock), hitching the cord over the
stop-cock so that the pipe cannot slip out of the vessel. To the outer end
also is a coupling, such as gasfitters use, which can be coupled with another
stop-cock having a pipe about two inches long at each side; one end is to fit

page_text: the coupling, and the other end to fit into a piece of india-rubber tubing well
tied on, which at a few inches off may have a piece of glass tubing inserted
for convenience, so that the course of the fluid may be observed. I recommend
the tubing to be half-inch in diameter, and from twelve to fifteen feet long; any
tubing that bears heat will do, but this is more convenient. The tubing must
be connected at the further end with a vessel capable of containing fluid either
hot or cold, which vessel should be raised from about twelve to fifteen feet
above the subject to be operated on. In place of this simple arrangement
for obtaining head pressure, any ordinary pumping machine, hydropult, or
hydraulic forcing apparatus may be used for injecting the fluid or a greater
height. That part of the heart known as the right auricular appendix must
now be found; it is an offset from the cavity into which all the venous or
returning blood of the body goes, and in the subject some time dead will be
found to contain coagulated blood; the tip is to be cut off or an incision made
in it; the coupling between the two stop-cocks, that is, the one between pipe
in aorta and the stop-cock attached to india-rubber tube before mentioned, is
now to be connected, taking care that both cocks are turned off or shut.
Half a gallon of saturated solution of common salt, containing also four ounces
of nitre dissolved in it, the whole well strained through flannel or muslin, in
winter, and for a subject recently dead, heated up to eighty or ninety degrees,
in summer or hot weather cold, and, if necessary, cooled artificially, should
be introduced into the raised vessel before referred to. The stop-cock next
the india-rubber tube is now opened, and the air contained between the two
stop-cocks allowed to escape up the tube; then allow the half a gallon of the
above solution to run in; it will be found to rush through the circulatory
organs, and out at the incision in the right auricular appendix. In animals
some time dead it should be let in slowly, so that the coagulated blood may be
dissolved; and when the fluid has ceased running from the incision put on a
clamp, or with a broad forceps with sliding catch embrace the right auricular
appendix, including the incision, or ligature the right auricular appendix in
any way, so as to seal or close it. Introduce into the raised vessel the
following solution:-Saturated solution of common salt, one gallon; nitre,
one pound; alum, one pound; from two drachms to one ounce of arseniate of
potash; and for dissecting room purposes, oil of thyme, one and a half ounce;
oil of winter green, half a drachm..
This mixture to be kept in agitation and previously well strained while
turned on, and running from the vessel into the subject, which should take
but a few minutes, when it will be found that the fluid not being able to

page_text: escape from the incision in the auricular appendix, will filtrate through the
capillanus and small vessels in every tissue of the body. This will suffice to
keep bodies for a considerable length of time. For dissecting or such pur-
poses as just now mentioned, the alum and poisonous-solution may be omitted,
and one and a half ounce of oil of thyme, &c. added to the solution, but in
hot weather the poisonous solution should be added. During the operation
the subject should have the legs a little lower than the rest of the body, and
all resting pretty flat. If it be desirable still further to preserve the body, the
following solution (No. 2) will be found both cheap and efficacious:-Three
quarts methylated spirit, three ounces of tannin, one and a half ounce oil
of thyme, three ounces oil of rosemary, three drachms oil of cloves, thirty
drops of oil of winter green, to be introduced in the same way in from six to
twelve hours after the first operation. The pulmonary artery should also be
opened, and one quart and one half of preserving fluid No. 1 introduced, suffi-
cient to make it run from the mouth, and one quart of No. 2 fluid in an hour
after. The above quantities must be increased in hot weather, and propor-
tioned necessarily to the size of the subject; other scents and solutions may be
used, these are mentioned being more efficacious and inexpensive. All
mammalia and birds being constructed on the same plan, the same principle
will apply, modified as to size and amount of material and composition of mate-
rial used as fluid for preserving. The subjects should after the operation
be left lying in a cool dry place and in a current of air. In twenty-four
hours the eyelids should be neatly stitched or glued down, also the mouth
closed, a little wool or cotton impregnated with No. 2 solution being first intro-
duced therein. The pipe or clamp should not be removed for six or eight
hours, when the incision in the chest should be treated in the same way, and
stitched; should it be desired to preserve permanently the subject they should be
further dried for some days by exposure in a current of air, and turned on
sides and front and back every six hours, and when tolerably dried placed in
a moulded glass coffin with moveable glass lid, which can be sealed down with
a heated solution of two parts of gutta percha, one part of pitch, and one
quarter part of marine glue.
In Curing Swine, Beef, &c.--First kill the animal by knocking on the head
with a heavy blunt maul, or by blowing air into the jugular or other vein, or
by making openings into the chest and forcing in air or water into the cavity
of the chest so as to collapse the lungs. I recommend the blow in the head
when properly done as most efficacious of all: So soon as the animal struggles
are over lay it on a table on its back, and open the breast bone, sawing it.

page_text: right down the centre, passing in the fingers at the incision and clearing away
the fat and the two mannuary veins which run pretty close on each side;
open the bag containing the heart, when the right auricular appendage will
be seen full of dark colored blood; make an incision into the nearest part, its
tip if possible, a snip with a pair of scissors being the best, when the blood
will rush out, also directly plunge the scissors into the left ventricle and make
an opening, when blood will rush out. Then lay the animal on its belly for a
few minutes or so, and afterwards or hang it up by a chain attached to the hind
legs for a few minutes, when the blood will be run off. The animal should
then be scalded or singed, as may be required; if singed, a wet cloth should be
introduced into the opening made in the flesh; enlarge, if necessary, the
incision in the left ventricle, that is, at the animal's left side of the furrow on
the front of the heart, and pass a pipe twelve inches or so in length into the
aorta or great vessel which leads from this cavity; pass a stout double twine
under this vessel close to the heart where the finger and thumb can meet, and
tie it securely (it will be found that the twine includes the aorta or large
vessel with the pipe in it, and another vessel in front of the aorta leading to
the lungs); the end of the pipe should not be inserted more than an inch or so
into the vessel, and this pipe is to be furnished within two inches of the outer
end with a stop-cock, over which the ends of the twine are to be hitched in
order to prevent the pipe from slipping out of its place. The outer end must
have a coupling to fit another stop-cock, having a pipe two inches in length or
more at either side, one end for coupling and the other to fit into an india-
rubber tubing of from half an inch to one inch in diameter, and to be well
tied on; the india-rubber tubing to be six or eight feet long, and sufficient lead
pipe provided to connect it with a vessel situate twelve to eighteen feet above
the level of the table on which the animal is placed; introduce into this
vessel half a gallon of a saturated solution of common salt and two ounces of
nitre dissolved in it, and the whole well strained (in very cold weather, or
where the animal is some time dead, heated to ninety or eighty degrees), but
in ordinary temperature cold, if temperature above sixty degrees this pickle
should be artificially cooled below freezing; connect the coupling and open the
stop-cock to the india-rubber tube, in order to permit the air contained
between it and the second stop-cock, which is turned off, to escape; the air can
be seen escaping upwards in the form of a bubble if a piece of glass tube be
inserted in this india-rubber tubing; both stop-cocks may now be opened by
degrees, when the fluid will be seen rushing out at the incision in the ear or
auricular appendix or cavity where the first cut was made; when run through,

page_text: a clamp or very broad forceps with a sliding catch should be applied to this
appendix so as to include the cut. The appendix is mentioned as being the
most convenient. Any part of the right side of the heart would answer or the
two large veins that leads to the heart, and the pickle as before again turned
on, but with the addition of half pound of saltpetre to each ordinary pig;
and if a brighter color be desired, two hundred grains or more of sal ammoniac
or a little cochineal or other harmless coloring may be added. One gallon
and half in winter, from that to two gallons and half in hot weather of
fluid I find quite sufficient, but any quantity that the particular market
or public requirements demand can be used. The animal may now lie on the
back for half hour to one hour, then be disembowelled, split if necessary, hung
up four to six hours if possible by the hind and fore legs alternately, and
placed the next day in a drying loft; or the middles may be put from twenty-
four hours to three days or more in salt, and hams from three to six days or
more, according to taste, requirements, and time of year; where pickle cooled
to freezing point or lower is used, the animal may be put in salt in two or
three hours. The animal after being knocked down may be singed without
the incision being made if it be opened and operated upon directly after
singing; or an animal dying choked or smothered can be so treated by letting
the first part of the process of washing out be done slowly, some saltpetre
being put in the pickle. Sugar used by dissolving two pounds or more of sugar
or molasses, one in the gallon of pickle, I have found most efficacious, and
produce a nicer and better flavored article, less pickle being required in this
case. Spices in decoction or other condiments can be thus introduced with the
greatest ease, a very small quantity, according to taste, sufficing.
In Preparing Navy and Cask Provisions.-The above process is to be used
with beasts and pork, adding molasses and spices according to taste, and, as
required by the authorities, lime juice or antiscorbutic salts may also be intro-
duced when desired. The proportion for beasts is about six pounds of salt
and half pound of saltpetre to the hundredweight, this to be packed in casks
in the ordinary way, the spaces filled up with pickle, two pounds of salt to the
hundredweight of meat being added, the whole to be barrelled tightly. Meat
prepared in the manner above described is not liable to become hard, is more
nutritious, and can be made of a much less scorbutic nature and more
agreeable to the palate than by ordinary processes of curing.
For the Purposes of Medication.-Iron, iodine, and other remedies can by
this process be diffused through the animal with flavorings of any kind. In
all cases the proportions of the ingredients of the injecting fluids will be varied

page_text: according to circumstances, and the fluids may be used either separately or as
auxiliary to other processes now in use.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is used or carried into effect, I would
observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is, the embalming or preserving of human bodies, and
the preserving, pickling, curing, medicating, and flavoring of animal bodies
generally by forcing or injecting preservative or antiseptic fluids through the
natural channels of the circulation of the blood, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Morgan, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of August, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-three.
JOHN MORGAN. (L.B.)