Re: Off the wall question from a newbie. preserving the blooms

**S* M* <samarak@gizmoworks.com>**

Although it's not a technique that's available to most of us - certainly 
not to me - some years back I read an article about using vacuum 
dessication for preserving all sorts of specimens, plant and otherwise, 
with remarkable results.

I think I recall that they combined this with cold, so that the water just 
sublimed out of the specimen. 

Steve

On Mon, 19 Jan 2009, bonaventure@optonline.net wrote:

> Scary thing. I'd think you'd have to run a perfusion line through it. 
> Replace its internal fluids with a formaldehyde solution (Formalin, 
> embalming fluid). Somewhere in there there must be a beating heart!

> No, seriously, I saw this on the Discovery Channel - scientists took the 
> freshly deceased corpse of a giant squid and soaked it in a huge vat of 
> said solution with multiple injections by syringe into the body for an 
> even infusion. I don't recall if they did an ethanol series dehydration 
> first (50, 70, 85, 95, 100%). This took several months but had to be 
> initiated quickly to inhibit the growth of bacteria which were already 
> present in the tissues of the squid.

> Perhaps the American Museum of Natural History (?) would be interested 
> in hanging the preserved titanum next to the giant squid for a really 
> macabre display!

> Bonaventure Magrys

-- Steve Marak
-- samarak@gizmoworks.com
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