This is in response to the article "Instructors Reconsider Dissection's Role In Biology Classes" (R. Lewis, The Scientist, Nov. 10, 1997, page 13): I am a registered nurse with 35 years' experience. I am aware that most nursing programs consider the study of anatomy an essential part of the curriculum, as is the case for most medical professionals.
Here at Michigan State University (MSU), a new process has been developed that will minimize the annual replacement of cadaveric material (human and nonhuman) and the exposure to formaldehyde vapor. Although this process will not replace dissection, it certainly adds supplementary materials that are used in teaching the biomedical sciences.
The inventor of this process has a Web site at the College of Veterinary Medicine at MSU. If you would like to "see" some of the specimens that have been prepared, feel free to access the site at http://www.cvm.msu.edu/pare.
