diaphanisation?

[katie i]

im not sure if many people here would know the answer to this but i figured id ask!  i am interested in trying diaphanisation to preserve the body of a rat or squirrel.  i am going to use the skin and would like to use the body as well. "Diaphanisation is a process involving chemicals to reach this effect of staining the skeleton while making the flesh transparent,"  is the only information i can really find on it, and that the process involves a solution of the chemical-methyl salycilate.  ive seen specimens preserved like this at the BODYS exhibit in nyc and i think some museums preserve things like this too.   does anyone have any other information about this?  i would like to know how much of the chemical to use and what else might be in the solution,   instead of messing around with the chemicals

heres a picture as an example and the sites i found

https://id261.securedata.net/necromance/catalogue.php?category=zoology
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071227151755AARX2a5

[cyclone]

Curious method....

The salicylate is evidently used to clear the skin and surrounding tissues of color creating the transparency.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methyl_salicylate

I believe dyes are introduced to stain the bones.  Not a lot of info on the web....

[katie i]

yea  asides from the links i found and that wiki link i cant find anything else!  :-/   i guess messing around with dyes and the chemical is going to be the answer

[grygon]

practice on cheap feeder mice until you get it right?   

or call up those places that are selling them in bottles.  i doubt they're gonna be all "omg tis secret, go do own research!"    just ask, can't hurt, and let us know what you find out. 

[grygon]

and here, another artist like you to ask!  i searched flickr for diaphanisation and this ONE artist came up:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/luciasafi/3117319848/
http://www.flickr.com/people/luciasafi/
i even got you started- i sent her an email today. if she's still active on flickr she will most likely reply in a few days i hope. 

[katie i]

ooh!   thank you soo much!  i didnt even think of using flickr :-p  i hope they do respond,  id really rather not play around with that chemical!

[grygon]

ooh!   thank you soo much!  i didnt even think of using flickr :-p  i hope they do respond,  id really rather not play around with that chemical!

go send her a message (if you don't have flickr, remember it's associated with yahoo, you can use your yahoo info to log in!).  i got this reply from her:

Well, I work at an ichthyology lab, and there we make
diaphanisation procedures following a protocol that uses
some chemicals of restricted use. If you have
access/permition to use this sort of thing, just give me
your email and I will pass our protocols. =)
But if you don't I think that some diaphanised animals are
sold on the internet, I've seen a few of them.

toldja she, or those other sites, would be willing to share. 

[cyclone]

Methyl_salicylate is the active ingredient in heat ointments like "Ben Gay" or "Icy Hot"  It gives them that strong wintergreen scent.  It does have to be handled with the proper precautions....see the msds....

http://www.sciencestuff.com/msds/C2129.html

There have been reported deaths due to over exposure/over application of the slaves...

[grygon]

cyclone- so i'd have to have proper credentials to even get my hands on some? 

[cyclone]

You'd have to contact a chemical supply company like sigma and ask them.  The methyl salicylate is only used to clarify the soft tissue....make it transparent.  I don't know how they dye the bones...

I have run across some literature wherein they inject colored dyes and or latex into the veins in order to dye the circulatory systems....  Try contacting the member here known as PA...he might be able to shed more light on the subject than can I...

[Arisk]

http://www.biomedicale.univ-paris5.fr/anat/spip.php?article22

I don't speak French but when I used one of those translation programs, it seemed to me to be giving a pretty detailed step by step procedure on how to do it and what chemcials are involved. If you know some one that speaks French then that might be a good site to check out.

[katie i]

thank you!  i know a person who is a language major and knows some french

[grygon]

did that lady ever email you?  i passed your message onto her.

[katie i]

no :-/    i was thinking about making a flickr account, so if i do ill message her on there

[tuberculosis13]

Katie, did you find any information on diaphanisation? I am interested in learning more about it as well.