[Nhcoll-l] Bear Cub in a Jar

[Simon Moore]

Hi Sue,

Now for my pennyworth!  Has the bear cub ever been fixed as in immersed and injected with 10% formalin (4% formaldehyde)?  The chemical changes brought about by fixation would stop seepage of blood pigments but not (alas) the lipid.  Bear in mind that if the specimen has not been fixed (it would take about a week) but has only been in alcohol from fresh, then as it auto-dilutes through gradual evaporation, then the ‘pseudo-fixation’ of alcohol will be reversed and the specimen can start to rot if the alcohol percentage falls below 30%.  Obviously this has not happened to yours as there is no sign of fur slippage and the specimen is in circulation and being carefully maintained.  However, just a word of caution

With all good wishes, Simon.

Simon Moore MIScT, RSci, FLS, ACR
Conservator of Natural Sciences and Cutlery Historian, 



www.natural-history-conservation.com 




> On 17 Mar 2020, at 18:40, Dirk Neumann <neumann at snsb.de> wrote:
> 
> Hi Susan,
> 
> the colouring is normal - what you can see there is basically lipids, haemoglobin (if there are open wounds) and other substances of low molecular weight diluting from the specimen into the storage fluid. If the soft stain of the fluid is bearable for your purposes, leave it as it is, as it will balance further leaching from the specimen. If you (continue) to exchange the fluid, you will continue the process (it should stop if the equilibrium inside the fluid is reached).
> 
> Sealing the jar: if this is a screw-on lid, you can enhance it e.g. with parafilm. If this should be some sort of permanent seal (which would be easy to realise), then bee-wax candles are a good and reasonable alternative to produce a good (air tight) seal (use the candle and carefully melt the wax around the neck of the jar to close the gap to the lid - this also works with flanged jars, but the wax on the flange of the beaker should be evenly spread and still hot and fluid, when the lid is placed onto it).
> 
> I would avoid rinsing it with Isoprop at this stage (if it is in ethanol) already; surely would cause more harm than improving the current status of the specimen.
> 
> And yes, John is still around and may have careful comments on my straight-forward offers ;-)
> 
> Hope this helps
> Dirk
> 
> Am 17.03.2020 um 18:41 schrieb Susan Gallagher:
>> Hello List, 
>> 
>> Question on final preparation of a wet specimen. This is for educational use only ('m at a nature center, not a museum.) 
>> 
>> Nearly two years ago my center received a dead black bear cub, around 3.5 kg. 
>> 
>> Since then, and on the advice of John Simmons (John are you still on this list??) I shot it up with a full bottle of Everclear, then put it in a plastic bag full of ETOH (like marinating meat) and left it in a refrigerator. 
>> 
>> Well today I took it out, squashed it into a jar, and it looks fantastic! No odor really other than alcohol, and no slippage of the fur. Just one tiny spot that looks a little raw, probably from the cub's original injury. 
>> 
>> I'd like to seal him up in the jar in clear liquid, as colorless as I can get it. 
>> 
>> The liquid I drained him from was slightly brownish, like weak tea, and he still has some of that liquid coming out of him. 
>> 
>> Should I rinse him first with water? Or with isopropyl alcohol? Then fill the jar with ETOH? 
>> 
>> Also any advice on sealing the lid? The jar I have had actually been donated by someone on this list who had been looking to re-home some 3-5 gallon glass jars a while ago. It came with a screw-on metal lid with a waxy paper insert. 
>> 
>> This doesn't need to last forever. Education collections generally do not. 
>> 
>> Any advice appreciated. We have several wet specimens here that make great learning motivators for kids. And we also have lots to teach kids and visitors about black bears, so I think this will make a great teaching tool--if I can make it look as "acceptable" as a dead baby bear in a jar can be for the public. 
>> 
>> Thanks for your time in helping a long-time list lurker. 
>> 
>> Sue 
>> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> <hjldceapidgflile.png>
> 
> 
> Dirk Neumann
> 
> Tel: 089 / 8107-111
> Fax: 089 / 8107-300
> neumann(a)snsb.de
> 
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> 
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> ---------
> 
> Dirk Neumann
> 
> Tel: +49-89-8107-111
> Fax: +49-89-8107-300
> neumann(a)snsb.de
> 
> postal address:
> 
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