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Gwendolyn

Carolina Biological has something like what you want - but it ain't 
cheap! 200 bucks. Science Kit and Boreal Laboratories is another. And 
there are several other similar companies that also have these 
'prepared' specimens, of various types.  You can also look at specimens 
of 'healthy lungs' and 'smokers longs' on prepared microscope slides. 
These are certainly cheaper but much more 'abstract.'

While Associate Director of the Flandrau Science Center in Tucson 
several years ago I did a set of 'tobacco' related exhibits funded by 
the state department of health. I initially looked at using these lungs 
as part of an exhibit, along with a number of the other 'usual' suspects 
for an anti-tobacco exhibit.  Upon review, I decided not to go with 
them.  First of all, these were pig's or sheep's  lungs ~ 'how did they 
get those pigs to smoke?' I wondered. Well, stupid me. They didn't, of 
course. These are chemically simulated smoker's lungs.  I reasoned that 
using chemically simulated smokers lungs and trying to pass them off as 
the lungs of real smokers was essentially lying to our visitors and I 
just couldn't do it. I mean, what would the sign say about these lungs? 
I did go with a WentzScope and a set of microscope slides though.

Instead of the negative message of the smoker's lung I built a cool 
device that measured each visitor's lung capacity.  Lung capacity (which 
is mostly affected by your physical size, sex  and age) does diminish 
for an individual as their years of smoking increase, but the main 
message was positive - Stay in shape to keep your lungs healthy.

We also did another somewhat un unorthodox exhibit; we grew tobacco. I 
figured, with all this talk about tobacco, people should at least know 
what the plant looks like.

O, we also looked at getting one of Ned Kahn's 'Smoke Rings' pieces. I 
was never interested in smoking but some people must think it is 
alluring. Ned's exhibit certainly plays on that quality.


Joe R
www.TheExhibitGuys.com



Gwendolyn Casazza wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related 
> institutions.
> ***************************************************************************** 
>
>
> Hello, colleagues.
>
> I am looking for a freeze-dried lung cross section that:
>     1. belongs to either a dog, sheep, pig, or other similar mammal
>     2. has been chemically treated to resemble a smoker's lung
>     3. is relatively inexpensive (under $50)
>
> Any ideas where I could find this?
>
> Thanks for your help!
>
>
>

-- 
ÐÏࡱá


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