[NHCOLL-L:3473] Fwd: Re: [AVECOL-L] nobody knows?

[Laura Abraczinskas]

Dear NHCOLL-L Members,

Does anyone have information for Mario regarding relaxing 
formalin-stiffened specimens?  The original post appeared on the AVECOL-L 
list, and few replies have since come in.  We are extending the inquiry to 
this list.
Thanks,
Laura

Original Post:
>>>dear fellow preparators, i have a new problem that's arisen from skins 
>>>partially prepped in the field (skinned out to be stuffed later).  we 
>>>give bigger birds injections of formalin in their legs and feet in the 
>>>field.  recently, a preparator was sloppy about it and got formalin on 
>>>the skin itself.  those parts became totally stiff and unworkable for 
>>>making a nice prep later.  is there a solution?  some way to relax the 
>>>formalin-stiffened skin?  sure hope so!  thanks in advance for any 
>>>suggestions.  best, mario

Mario Cohn-Haft <mario at buriti.com.br>


>Envelope-to: abraczi1 at msu.edu
>From: Mario Cohn-Haft <mario at buriti.com.br>
>Subject: Re: [AVECOL-L] nobody knows?
>Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2007 21:01:21 -0400
>To: Laura Abraczinskas <abraczi1 at msu.edu>
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>
>thanks laura. that would be great.  i'd really like to hear what anybody 
>has to say on the subject.  best, mario
>
>
>Mario Cohn-Haft
>
>Coordenacao de Pesquisa em Ecologia (CPEC)
>
>Colecoes Zoologicas - Aves
>
>INPA
>
><mailto:mario at buriti.com.br>mario at buriti.com.br
>
>On 21 Jun 2007, at 12:03 PM, Laura Abraczinskas wrote:
>
>>Hi Mario,
>>I do not have an answer for you, but if you would like me to forward your 
>>message to NHCOLL-L (Natural History Collections list-serve), I would be 
>>very happy to do so.  Let me know.  There may be someone out there who 
>>had a similar experience (e.g. with mammals).
>>Laura
>>
>>
>>>Envelope-to: <mailto:abraczi1 at MSU.EDU>abraczi1 at MSU.EDU
>>>X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.752.3)
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>>>                          information
>>>X-vivax.com.br-MailScanner: Found to be clean
>>>X-vivax.com.br-MailScanner-From: 
>>><mailto:mario at buriti.com.br>mario at buriti.com.br
>>>X-Spam-Status: No
>>>Date:         Thu, 21 Jun 2007 09:53:10 -0400
>>>Reply-To: Bulletin Board for Bird Collections and 
>>>Curators 
>>><<mailto:AVECOL-L at LISTSERV.LSU.EDU>AVECOL-L at LISTSERV.LSU.EDU>
>>>Sender: Bulletin Board for Bird Collections and Curators 
>>><<mailto:AVECOL-L at LISTSERV.LSU.EDU>AVECOL-L at LISTSERV.LSU.EDU>
>>>From: Mario Cohn-Haft <<mailto:mario at BURITI.COM.BR>mario at BURITI.COM.BR>
>>>Subject: [AVECOL-L] nobody knows?
>>>To: <mailto:AVECOL-L at LISTSERV.LSU.EDU>AVECOL-L at LISTSERV.LSU.EDU
>>>X-Virus: None found by Clam AV
>>>
>>>dear colleagues, about a week ago i sent out a question about relaxing 
>>>skins that have been exposed to formol and stiffened.  i didn't receive 
>>>a single answer, which makes me suspect that either:
>>>
>>>1. nobody got the message (i don't think that's the case, since i 
>>>received it)
>>>2. nobody has an answer (is that possible? not even a shot in the dark?)
>>>3. it's too tricky a problem for a quick answer and everybody's too busy 
>>>to write long elaborate ones (entirely understandable).
>>>
>>>i'd be very grateful for even a "well, don't really know, but why not 
>>>try this..." type answer.  perhaps folks that use formol more than we do 
>>>(herp, fish folks) have more familiarity with the effects of formalin 
>>>and how to "reverse" them.  anyway, just to repeat, i'd be real grateful 
>>>for any suggestions at all, or other contacts to follow up.  we have a 
>>>couple real important newly collected specimens (incl an undescribed 
>>>species!)  that will have to be (wrinkled) "flat" skins if we can't 
>>>relax the stiffened parts some.
>>>
>>>thanks to all.  sincerely, mario
>>>
>>>p.s.  if anyone cares to see the original message again (for explanatory 
>>>or forwarding purposes), its text was as follows:
>>>
>>>dear fellow preparators, i have a new problem that's arisen from skins 
>>>partially prepped in the field (skinned out to be stuffed later).  we 
>>>give bigger birds injections of formalin in their legs and feet in the 
>>>field.  recently, a preparator was sloppy about it and got formalin on 
>>>the skin itself.  those parts became totally stiff and unworkable for 
>>>making a nice prep later.  is there a solution?  some way to relax the 
>>>formalin-stiffened skin?  sure hope so!  thanks in advance for any 
>>>suggestions.  best, mario
>>>
>>>
>>>Mario Cohn-Haft
>>>
>>>Coordenacao de Pesquisa em Ecologia (CPEC)
>>>
>>>Colecoes Zoologicas - Aves
>>>
>>>INPA
>>>
>>><<mailto:mario at buriti.com.br>mailto:mario at buriti.com.br><mailto:mario at buriti.com.br>mario at buriti.com.br
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>--
>>>Esta mensagem foi verificada pelo sistema de antivírus e
>>>acredita-se estar livre de perigo.
>>
>>Laura Abraczinskas
>>Collections Manager
>>Vertebrate Natural History Collections
>>Michigan State University Museum
>>West Circle Drive
>>East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1045
>>
>>517/355-1290 (office)
>>517/432-2846 (FAX)
>
>
>--
>Esta mensagem foi verificada pelo sistema de antivírus e
>acredita-se estar livre de perigo.

Laura Abraczinskas
Collections Manager
Vertebrate Natural History Collections
Michigan State University Museum
West Circle Drive
East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1045

517/355-1290 (office)
517/432-2846 (FAX)