Interesting, there must be some variations to Ruffers, my recipe came from
a archeologist/pathologist, and he didn't use formalin.  His recipe came
from Armand, 1914 - 1915.  I guess variations do exist.

5 parts water
3 parts absolute ethanol
2 parts 5% sodium carbonate

Treat 24 - 48 hours, then go to absolute alcohol.
We watched a piece of mummy lung reconstitute during the workshop, amazing
to see it regain normal size as it rehydrated.

Formalin makes sense though

57 AM 7/23/01 -
0500, you wrote:>Lousie
>Tissue will be fragile but can be treated a mummified material.
>Place in Ruffers solution overnight
>3 parts 96%ethanol
>5 parts of 1% formalin
>2 parts 5% aqueous sodium carbonate.
>This renders tissue somewhat gelatinous.
>decant off one third of the volume and replace with 96% ethanol.  repeat
>until tissue is firm.
>Process to wax for soft tissue and down to water if to demineralize.
>If for storing, place after the 96% ethanol, into one part glycerin plus
>2 parts 70% ethanol.
>Barry
>
>
>"Renton, Lousie, Mrs" wrote:
>
>>  Dear Histonetters,
>>
>> I am in urgent need of a method for the resoration of dried out
>> processed tissue. We had a problem with the processor over the
>> weekend, and all our  precious ( research ) material is all dried out
>> and shrivelled.
>>
>> I recall  hearing of a method that used phenol, and someone that
>> mentioned fabric softener on the histonet, but I cannot find the
>> literature. Bancrof has a method, but we do not have access to the
>> chemicals cited.
>> Is there  a kind soul out there who could offer a recipe to save our
>> skins? ( or in this case our bones!)
>>
>> Thank you in anticipation
>>
>> Louise Renton
>> MRC
>> Johannesburg
>> South africa
>
>
>
>
Gayle Callis
MT,HT,HTL(ASCP)
Histopathology Supervisor
Veterinary Molecular Biology
Montana State Univ