Clinical Human Anatomy

LABORATORY

Care Of Cadavers.

Care of the cadaver is the student's responsibility. Treat the cadaver with the respect that is always due the dead. Keep in mind that the cadaver plays an important factor in your learning of anatomy. It must be kept clean, properly covered, and moistened to prevent deterioration of the specimen. When not in use, the cadaver should be wrapped in terry cloth and moistened with the fluid provided in the laboratory.

The cadavers are embalmed with a fluid containing formaldehyde, phenol, alcohol, and glycerol. Since these substances kill bacteria and inactivate most viruses, you should not worry about superficial cuts. However, gloves are highly recommended. The levels of formaldehyde and phenol in the laboratories are monitored by the University Division of Environmental Health and Safety and are safely below the levels set by the OSHA and NIOSH.

See related article about pregnancy outcome following gestational exposure to organic solvents.

Even when wearing latex gloves, you may experience a slight tingling sensation in your fingers (paresthesia) which will disappear in a few hours. This results from the local anesthetic action of phenol. Nitrite or vinyl gloves provides greater protection.

The cadaver is the property of the Anatomical Board of the State of Florida. It is a violation of Florida Law to remove any part of the cadaver from the dissecting laboratory without specific written permission.

Instruments.

Basic dissection instruments will be furnished, as well as laboratory gloves.

At the end of each dissecting period, clean and dry the dissection instruments, remove them from the dissection table and store in appropriate designated areas. Clean and return mallets, chisels, or saws to the equipment cabinet in the laboratory, when you are finished using them. Be careful when removing or inserting blades on scalpel handles. Scalpel blades must not be discarded in the trash with paper and tissue from the body. Special cans are provided for the used blades.

Laboratory Protocol.

Professional conduct is to be exhibited at all times.
Clean white lab coats are required to be worn when in the Gross Lab.
You are required to keep the dissecting tables clean. All tissues removed from the body must be collected and placed in the designated RED CONTAINERS so they can be cremated. Buckets under the table are for collection of tissue fluids and should be emptied into the sink after each laboratory period.
GRAY OR BROWN containers are provided for waste materials other than body tissue, including paper and gloves. It is important to keep the anatomical tissue separate because it is cremated and must not be discarded with waste materials.
The floor around your dissecting table should be kept clean and free of tissue and fluids at all times.
All dissecting instruments, gloves and text materials should be removed from dissection tables at the end of each laboratory period.
No visitors are allowed in the dissecting laboratory.
Food, drinks, or cameras should not be brought into the laboratory.
Wearers of soft contact lenses are cautioned that they may experience eye discomfort when wearing their lenses. In past years, many of the students who wear contact lenses have worn their eye glasses during the laboratory time.