This metal found in cough drops is also crucial to preserving this child in Palermo. Which metal?

gonnzo

Zinc. "Rosalia Lombardo was an Italian child born in 1918 in Palermo, Sicily. She died on December 6 1920....She was one of the last corpses to be admitted to the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo in Sicily....The mummification techniques used by Dr. Alfredo Salafia, which allegedly involved a chemical injection process are still a mystery as Dr. Salafia never revealed this particular technique in his lifetime. Recently, the formula was found from a handwritten memoir of Salafia's. The formula apparently consisted of formalin to kill bacteria, alcohol to dry the body, glycerin to keep her from overdrying, salicylic acid to kill fungi, and the most important ingredient, zinc salts to give the body rigidity." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalia_Lombardo Apr 23 09, 3:45 PM

edmund80

Correct! "...But, according to Melissa Johnson Williams, executive director of the American Society of Embalmers, "it was the zinc salts that were most responsible for Rosalia's amazing state of preservation. Zinc, which is no longer used by embalmers in the United States. '[Zinc] gave her rigidity,' Williams said. 'You could take her out of the casket prop her up, and she would stand by herself." http://www.mummytombs.com/mummylocator/featured/rosalia.htm "Recently, companies have been including zinc in their cough drops. Certain evidence suggests that zinc may be beneficial in fighting symptoms of a cold." http://www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Cough-Drop.html Apr 23 09, 11:25 PM