In July, members of the School of Anatomy Technical Team went to University College Cork to help repair their collection of anatomical specimen pots. It is important to maintain these specimen pots as these anatomical specimens are irreplaceable, not only as human remains, but as many show pathologies which are no longer found in the modern day. 

Ed Zealley (Specialist Technician), Maisie Saunders (Specialist Technician) and Kirsty Nelson (Teaching Technician) travelled to Cork as they have a wealth of experience maintaining Bristol's extensive collection of medical and veterinary pots. Ed and Maisie have developed a method for putting new Perspex lids on older glass pots, as the Perspex can be drilled and fitted with screw holes to make it easier to change discoloured potting fluid. Ed and Kirsty both have a lot of practice mending weak seams on Perspex pots, by digging out a channel along the seam and filling it with a hard-setting glue.

Over three and a half days the team cleaned and repaired 84 pots; these can now be used to teach medical students.

Kirsty says: "It was my first time in Cork, although Ed and Maisie went last year. The team there were lovely, and I really enjoyed the repair work. It's very satisfying to take a cracked, discoloured pot and turn it into a clean, clear pot with no leaks."