Hi Sharon

We also used to have a lot of problems with our fetal brains until we
discovered this article in "Arch Pathol Lab Med Vol 108,Jan 1984, which
suggests adding glacial acetic acid to the formalin
after you have placed the brain in the bucket.The acetic acid makes the
brain rise from the bottom of the bucket and float in the centre.The acetic
acid increases the firmness of the tissue
and makes it much easier to handle and cut the brain.

Hope this helps you.

Isabel de Faria Leal
Dept Anatomical Pathology
Neuropathlogy Lab
SAIMR
Johannesburg
South Africa