Specification of William Robert Lake : embalming.

  • Lake, William Robert.
Date:
1867
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of William Robert Lake : embalming. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Lakes Improved Mode of Embalming. the gases, so that the body can be put into the coffin, embalmed, closed up, and left without further molestation. It may be found that the amount of gas which the body will hold at one time in either the stomach, bowels, or lungs, or in the arterial or vascular 5 system, will not be sufficient to preserve it in warm weather, that is to say, the antiseptic elements contained in that amount of gas may not be sufficient to thoroughly embalm the body; in this case it will be necessary to continue the flow of the gas through or into the vascular or arterial system until enough of the antiseptic element has been incorporated with the tissue to 10 preserve it. This continual flow of gas through the vascular system is main¬ tained by making an incision in the lower extremity of each of the tibial * arteries, and by inserting the beak of the tube in one of the said incisions to introduce the gases into the arterial system, leaving the other incision open for the gas to escape from after it has passed through the body. In this appli- 15 cation of my Invention an air and gas tight coffin is necessary to hold the gas in contact with the body after it has passed through the same. This is especially necessary when it is desire 1 to subject the body to the influence of the gases externally as well as internally; but when the body is to be em- bal med before it is put in the coffin, or in an open coffin by the internal 20 application of the gas alone, a receiver must be used to catch'the gas as it issues from the body. In some cases, after the body has been embalmed by the introduction of the gas into the vascular system as above described, it may be well to surround the body with an atmosphere of the embalming gas by placing it in a tight coffin and introducing the gases as an auxiliary means for 25 preserving the body a very long time. The essential feature of the said Invention, however, is the preservation of the body or carcass from putrefaction by the internal application of antiseptic gases instead of other antiseptic fluids, and the application may be extended to all sorts of animal carcasses to which the gas or gases can be applied, 30 substantially as above set forth. Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and shown how the same may be conveniently and successfully carried into practice, I wish it understood that I do not intend to I* confine myself to the preservation of any particular kind of animal bodies, or 35 to the use of any particular kind of antiseptic gas or gases, but I claim,— First, embalming dead bodies and carcasses, or preserving them from putrefaction, by introducing antiseptic gas or gases into the arterial or vascular (system, substantially as set forth. Second, embalming dead bodies and carcasses, or preserving them from