[Nhcoll-l] Fluid preservation: what is Triple Fix?

[Simon Moore]

Hi Claire,

This is a term rarely used nowadays and usually refers to a specimen that has specifically been fixed in a mixture such has Heidenhain’s Susa fixative which contains mercuric chloride, formalin, acetic acid and sodium chloride (likely as a buffer).. It’s been a while since I last used this (c. 1973) so am slightly vague but this was used as a triple fixative on the histology course that I took from 1971-1973.  Basically a mix of a primary fixative (formalin) and two secondary fixatives (such as picric acid, potassium dichromate, even cobalt nitrate - as in Bouin, Zenker, Helly, Da Fano’s fixatives, which were all specialised but also which were coloured yellow, orange, orange and pale purple respectively.

However, others may have a different definition of the term, so I should wait and see what other answers you get.

With all good wishes, Simon

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

www.natural-history-conservation.com




> On 20 Jan 2023, at 15:41, Claire Smith <c.e.smith at pgr.reading.ac.uk> wrote:
> 
> Hi everyone, 
> One of our students has come across a fluid specimen in our teaching collection that is preserved in “Triple Fix” – does anybody know what that is?
>  
> Many thanks for your help, 
> Claire   
>  
> *******
> Claire Smith (she/her)
> Graduate Teaching Assistant & PhD Candidate, Cole Museum of Zoology 
> c.e.smith at pgr.reading.ac.uk 
> claire.smith at reading.ac.uk 
> www.twitter.com/wetconservatrix
>  
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