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Dr. Cunningham—Surface Anatomy of the Primate Cerebrum. ix
small pins at short intervals from each other. FeYe* adopted very much
the same plan, but as he only sought to determine the absolute distance of
the fissure of Rolando, the parietooccipital fissure, and the Sylvian fissure
from the coronal, lambdoid, and squamous sutures, he made his measurements
on the fresh head. When the pins were accurately adjusted, I
transferred the entire head into a chloride of zinc bath, and afterwards
into alcohol. This plan gave admirable results. Of course the cerebrum
was considerably reduced in bulk, but the shrinkage was uniform ; and as
it was relative and not absolute results I desired, the diminution in bulk
was not a matter of any consequence.
In the case of children and adults, models were made of the head with
the brain exposed in situ. In the preparation of these models the following
methods were employed:—The head and the entire length of the neck
were removed from the trunk, and injection pipes introduced into the
internal carotid arteries. Twice daily the head was injected with the
following fluid :—One part spirit (sixty over proof), and two parts Midler's
fluid. To each injection four drachms of glycerine were added. This
treatment was continued for a fortnight. The head was then washed in
water, the scalp removed from the right side, and the preparation fixed in a
vice. The whole of the right side of the cranial wall, with the exception of
narrow bars corresponding to the sutural lines, was next removed by means
of a sharp chisel and a mallet. The utmost care was taken to preserve the
dura mater entire, because it was found that so long as this was intact the
injections could be continued, and the brain kept from shrinking. But
now the greatest caution was necessary in making the injections, because
any excessive pressure was sure to make the brain bulge and spoil the
preparation. In the preparation of small brains, as in the case of children
and apes, I found latterly that it was better to dispense with the Midler's
fluid and use weak spirit alone.
When the brain was sufficiently hard it was necessary to wash out the
spirit and Midler's fluid by two or three injections of water, or in some
cases a 10 per cent, solution of hydrate of chloral, because it was always
found that the hardening fluid prevented the plaster of Paris setting
properly on the surface of the brain.
After this treatment the brain, on removal of the membranes, provided
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