Evaluation Of A New Technique For Supporting Anatomical Museum Specimens: A Comparative Study

ABSTRACT

Background: Museum specimens for anatomical and pathological studies are commonly mounted for display inKaiserling’s solution-filled jar. The present study was designed to demonstrate and compare a new method ofsupporting museum specimens in a jar known as Plastic pole method (PPM) with previous methods [Nylon tread(NTM) and Plastic bottle methods (PBM)].Materials and Methods: Two specimens for mounting were obtained from the Teaching Laboratory of theDepartment of Anatomy, UNEC. The specimens were bisected and each half was supported using either of 3mounting methods (PPM, NTM, and PBM) in museum jars using the standard Kaiserling’s technique. The mountedspecimens were exhibited to fifty (50) participants (10 staff and 40 students) of the Department of MedicalLaboratory Sciences, University of Nigeria. Questionnaires were administered for evaluation of the exhibitsunder the following criteria clarity, multi-viewing points, stability of the specimen on its support materials,transparency of the museum mounts, and aesthetic outlook. The quality index of each method was determinedfrom the scores of the participants. Data obtained were statistically analysed and p values <0.05 were consideredsignificant.Results: Quality index scores of 86.82%, 69.76%, and 77.76%, for PPM, NTM, and PBM respectively. On claritybasis, PBM had the highest score of 212, while NTM had the lowest score of 172. PPM had the best scores for allother criteria.Conclusion: The novel method demonstrated in the present study (Plastic pole method) is readily available, easyand effective for learning. Thus, it appears to be a promising technique for the mounting of anatomic pathologicalspecimens in a medical museum