Two improved methods of mounting museum specimens / by C. W. Rowntree.

  • Rowntree, C. W.
Date:
[1907]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Two improved methods of mounting museum specimens / by C. W. Rowntree. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

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    TWO IMPROVED METHODS OF MOUNTING MUSEUM SPECIMENS. By C. W. ROWNTREE, M.B, B.S., F.R.C.S. preserving museum specimens in their natural colours have long been the subject of investiga- tion by pathologists, notably Jores and Kaiserling, and by their methods or modifications of them, it has now become a comparatively easy and certain matter to fix tissues and organs in such a way that the appearances present during life can be accurately preserved. It is a more difficult matter, however, to ensure the per- manence of these preparations, for the mounting fluid most generally used-glycerine and water—has among other draw- backs the disadvantage of allowing the growth of moulds for the prevention of which the addition of formalin or other antiseptic is necessary. It is this which is probably respon- sible for the gradual bleaching of the specimen that so often occurs. Other solutions that have been suggested have the common drawback of either undergoing changes themselves or exerting a solvent action on the pigments of the specimen The ideal mounting medium in addition to being colourless and transparent, should have no action of any kind on the specimen and should itself not be liable to chemical or putre- factive change. In searching for some substance which mi^ht be expected to fulfil these requirements, liquid paraffin (Pa° a- ffin. Liq. B.P.) suggested itself. less^'nel? ^T^^ ^'^ advantages ; it is colour- less, peifectly transparent, absolutely non-volatile at all ordinary temperatures and has a low freezing point. Chemi- cally speaking it appears to be almost entirely inert, the only substances upon which it has any solvent action being a few organic compounds of its own class, such as benzene? xyloT etc.; ,t IS obvious therefore, that changes due to any chemical' act.on on t^ie specimen mounted in this medium are not to be anticipated. While it possesses no active antiseptic proper- ties, yet organisms are unable to grow in it, i Zt Ze E 2