X-Message-Number: 7872
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 07:54:26 -0800 (PST)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: fixing brains with formaldehyde

 In Message #7865 <> wrote:
 >>Thomas writes:
 >>"However, there are bad problems of implementation. Among them
 >>is the problem of getting the formalin or other fluid into every
 >>brain cell rather than just a layer of cells surrounding the rest
 >>of the brain. Believe it or not"
 >How do medical school embalmers do it? I do know they use the carotid
 >arteries as point of entry. Maybe these specialist have a technique
 >we are not aware of.

   Medical school embalmers use much more formaldehyde than funeral homes
 do. Relatives might object to the formaldehyde fumes during the service
 as well as the unnatural appearance of the corpse so funeral homes use as
 little as they can. Formaldehyde rapidly penetrates tissue, so as long as
 enough is used, adequate fixation of the brain is easy to achieve. Here's
 a direct quote from one of the medical school embalmers describing how he
 fixes brains. (Acta Anat. 101: 97-103 1978)
   Quote: "For fixation and preservation of the brain tissue, additional
 procedures may be recommended. There are two different methods used in
 our laboratory, one of which, to the best of our knowledge, is used only
 here. The first method commonly used is to inject undiluted formalin
 solution, from 50 to 100 cm3 into each side of the cerebral hemisphere in
 the cranial cavity through a small hole made at the vertex of the body
 with a drill. The second method is to inject 50 cm3 of undiluted formalin
 solution directly into each side of the middle cranial fossa using a long
 gage 13 injection needle, which is inserted into the orbit from the inner
 canthus toward the medial aspect of the middle cranial fossa through the
 superior ophthalamic fissure. It is simple, quick, and effective."


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