Dissecting Dissections

In an earlier post (which you can read here), I fretted over the fact that I was starting a Biology class that would require me to dissect things. Having never done this (not even a frog!) in highschool, I was filled with trepidation about what would surely be a disgusting, disturbing event.

Well, dissection week in the lab has come and gone, and I need to give myself a pat on the back. I not only got through the event without getting queasy or green, I did the actual dissecting of 3 of the 4 specimens. Our teacher, bless her heart, built us up gradually. We started with an earthworm, then a crayfish. The earthworm was a little gross, but being preserved, it wasn't slimy. You would not believe how much that helps. I was very freaked out leading up to the moment of the initial incision. After that first cut, though, it became fascinating! Once your specimen is splayed open on the dissection tray, it ceases to resemble much of a cuddly little creature (not that earthworms are all that cuddly), and you become so wrapped up in finding all the parts you're supposed to find that it's no longer very gross. The crayfish was pretty difficult to crack open, but it really wasn't much different from peeling a shrimp or eating lobster. If you like your shellfish with a yummy formaldehyde aroma, that is.

Dissection Day 2 in the lab proved to be a bit more difficult. I was prepared for the lovely odor this time, though. I brought Vicks Vaporub, and it was very effective. I learned that in an Alex Kava novel, apparently it helps at autopsies. :-) Our group had a large frog that we unfortunately referred to as "she" throughout most of the process until we moved enough fat bodies around to realize "she" was actually a "he". You see, the two important male parts are actually attached to the kidneys, and they're kind of hard to find. We managed, though.

Next was the most difficult of all. I maintain that if you can get past the initial incision, the whole dissection process becomes a piece of cake. It's just opening something up that presents a problem for me - I have learned that I have no trouble poking around the insides because THAT is truly fascinating. Our last specimen was a tiny little pig, and I was more than willing to let someone else operate. It turned out to be a great learning experience in more ways than one. I learned lots about organs and their functions, but I also learned that I can handle dissections! THAT is a big change for me, and I am pretty excited about it.