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University Daily Kansan Thursday, Oct. 16, 1952
HUMAN BODY INCASED IN PLASTIC—Staff members and students look over part of a human body incased in plastic, which is used in anatomyclasses. Dr. Paul Roofe, anatomy department chairman, (left) and Robert Guntert, biological technician, (center) show the display to Dr. E.J. Bribach, Atchison, eye, ear, nose and throat specialist, Dr. Nicholas Hotton and Dr. Byron Wenger, members of the School of Medicine faculty, and Dwight Adams and Kenny Boese, students.—Kansas photo by Dave Arthurs
Anatomists Beat Nature By Freezing Whole Body
By JERRY KNUDSON
There have been countless creatures in science fiction that have lasted out the years embedded in chunks of ice, but the anatomy department has outdone them all in an actuality that will be a boon to the teaching of the subject. $ \textcircled{1} $
It has "frozen" a sectionalized human body in thin slabs of plastic —in 160 pieces, to be exact.
"We've been doing this for years as far as individual parts of anatomy go," Dr. Paul Roofe, chairman of the department, said, "But this is the first complete human body to be serial-sectioned in plastic" he added.
Robert Gunter, interdepartmental plastics technician, has been at work on the project for eight months and is now finishing it.
In beginning the work the body, a female, was soaked in a 10 per cent formaldehyde solution for three months. This is a dehydrating process which gets rid of surplus moisture.
It was then placed in a freezing chamber at four degrees below zero to be frozen hard. "We used over 100 pounds of dry ice the first night, but that proved unsuccessful." Mr.Guntert said.
The body was sliced into horizontal sections $ \frac{1}{2} $ to 1 inch thick by a regular band saw. Each section was then soaked for three days each in six solutions of increasing glycerin composition.
As a final step the sections were placed in a vacuum to draw all of the air out of the tissues, and they were then ready for the plastic.
A layer of coid liquid plastic, made for biological purposes, is poured in molds to harden overnight. The section is placed on this layer and the mold filled with the clear plastic.
Later a finish layer of harder plastic is applied and if the slabs are uneven they must be ground down with sandpaper. They are then finished with a fine abrasive.
Mr. Gunter has been a technician for various departments of the University since 1920. Born in Switzerland, he came to this country in
"These will last forever," Mr Guntert said. "The only way they can be damaged is scratches on the surfaces which can be refinished," he added.
1905 and has lived most of his life in Lawrence.
"I got interested in plastics two years ago and just began experimenting" he said.
Since then he has set some fossils in plastic for the geology department, about 400 insects in plastic cubes for the entomology department, and is subject to call from the zoology department.
Mr. Gunter first became associated with the anatomy department when Dr. Roofer gave him several sections of a sheep brain to experiment with.
After this venture Dr. Roofe had him preserve a human brain in 33 plastic sections in 1951. Tentative plans are now being made for serial-sectioning a human body on planes running the length of the body.
"Eventually I think that this sort of thing will completely replace present-day museum methods of simply placing exhibits under glass cases." M. Guntter predicted
The serial-sectioned body will be placed on public display sometime this year, Dr. Roofe said.
New Hampshire was the only state of the original thirteen that was not invaded by British forces during the Revolutionary war.
EVERY QUALIFIED VOTER ON
OUR BANK'S STAFF PLANS TO VOTE in the COMING ELECTION
May every eligible voter in our community exercise this right and responsibility of citizenship by voting on November 4th.
This year's tentative schedule for the Men's Glee club has been announced by Joseph F. Wilkins, professor of voice.
We feel that there never was a greater need for an expression of the will of all the people than there is today.
DOUGLAS COUNTY STATE BANK
"The Bank of Friendly Service"
Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
Men's Glee Club Tells Schedule
The Glee club will sing Handel's "Thanks Be to Thee" and two folk songs at the musical vespers Nov. 16. The organization will also sing for veterans at Wadsworth hospital in December.
Telephone 3200
The second semester the Glee club will sing at the second musical vespers and in a combined program with the Women's Glee club. The club is planning trips to Kansas City and Topeka early next semester.
The Glee club has 72 members, including students from the college, the School of Pharmacy, the School of Business, the School of Engineering, and the School of Fine Arts. Thirty-eight of these students were members last year.
Dr. Brewster to Speak Today
Dr. Ray Q, Brewster, chairman of the chemistry department, will speak on "Chemistry in Egypt" at a meeting of the Kansas section of the American Chemical society at 7:30 p.m. today in 305 Bailey chemical laboratories.
Dr. Brewster was a Fulbright lecturer in Egypt from January to June of this year.
Company Interviews Accounting Majors
D. R. McKeithan, of the Phillips Petroleum company, Bartlesville, Okla., will be on the campus Thurs-
Okla., will be on the campus this afternoon to interview February,
June, and August graduates with
Anyone interested may sign the interview schedule in the Business Placement bureau, 213 Strong, and secure an application blank to be completed prior to the interview.
It is not certain that this company will visit the campus again during the second semester so June and August graduates who are interested should sign at this time.
Politicos Hold Panel For Freshman Girls
The Stateswomen's club, all former high school girls staters, will sponsor a political panel at 7 tonight at North College for all freshman women.
The parties represented will be FACTS and Pachacamac-NOW.
Members of the panel will be Ann Wagner, education senior; Mary Ellen Stewart, college sophomore, and Kay Conrad, college senior, and Betty Berry, education senior; Joan Fink, president, will be the moderator.
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"SHADOW IN THE SKY"