Maceration (bone)

Maceration is a bone preparation technique whereby parts of a vertebrate corpse are left to rot inside a closed container at near-constant temperature, to get a clean skeleton. It is a form of controlled putrefaction, the decomposition of a corpse by bacteria in anaerobic conditions. The temperature is best maintained in an incubator at around 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit).Fact|date=February 2007 Maceration generates very strong and distasteful odors, and is therefore usually done in a closed container, in a non-enclosed area.

Maceration is an alternative to the "Dermestes" method in which skin beetles are used to strip the flesh off of the corpse, a method which is used with corpses of small mammals, small birds, reptiles, and amphibians, because these animals' bones tend to fall apart in many tiny parts. With a fish corpse, maceration is an unsuitable method to get a clean skeleton because of their poorly articulated, pliable skeleton.

In the proces of maceration, the corpse is first skinned and defleshed as much as possible, and all internal organs are removed. In this process, extra care istaken when removing the eyeballs, ears and jugular muscles, because some bones are shallow and brittle, such as the thickened external acoustic opening of many mammals. The tongue is usually left in place, because of the tongue and hyoid bones. Severed parts of the corpse are sometimes kept in nylon panty hoses. Water (not warmer than 50 °C) is then put in a container, depending on the size of the corpse, with some optional washing powder with enzymes (like Biotex) added, as it will soften the tissue (but take care with nails, as these are softened). A mild detergent or emulsifier is sometimes used to remove fatty acids from the bone. When the corpse is put in the container, bacteria automatically convert the flesh to their nutrients, and will continue to do so as long as the temperature remains constant. After a few days, the water is replenished to maintain the bacteria, and some adittional flesh may be cut away. Most medium sized animals (like dogs) are macerated within about ten days.

Lipids and fatty acids in the bone and in the fat tissues tend to stain the bone brown. Biotex can be used to whiten the bone, but if too much is used the perchlorate can destroy the bone.