The Use of an Improved Technique in the Rabbit Gastrointestinal Tract Mummification

Abstract

The mummification of bodies is a technique known since antiquity.Over time it has spread to Europe, becoming an essential practice for preserving bodies. The mummification technique was associated with the existence of life after death. The discipline of Comparative Anatomy in veterinary medical education uses animal bodies as educational models for teaching purposes. The study was conducted in the laboratory of Anatomy of the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca. We used: rabbit cadavers, dissection instruments, staining substances and 5% formalin solution. The staining substance was injected through aorta, then; fixation in 5% formaldehyde solution for five days was performed. The gastrointestinal mass was isolated and the content was evacuated and then, fixed to the support and left to dry until mummification occurred. The gastrointestinal mass was properly preserved and the dye has uniformly highlighted the vascularization of all segments. The fixing method allowed the maintenance of injected stains. The results indicate that the technique applied in this study is appropriate for preservation of the gastrointestinal tract in rabbits Â