Australia's Science Forum

Do any of you clever people from NSW schools know, what is the protocol for using animal (horse) blood? Teacher wants to use it for forensic camp. I suggested ready made slides, but he is "working" with blood.

Lada

I thought I'd check CSIS for you and weirdly, the folder opened at this page:
Volume 2, Section 3, Pg 29
Advises checking publication Animals in Schools: Animal Welfare Guidelines for Teachers
And BOS memorandum BOS 76/96: Experiments involving animals, August 1996
A phone number is given for the School Animal Care and Ethics Committee (SACEC) – 02 9886 7627
Of course, this information may be out of date now!

Where is he going to get horse blood from anyway?
I would be suprised if you could use blood of any type, I was under the impression that we weren't allowed to.

Actually if you look in the csis section 3.2.61 Human blood, tissue and fluid.(section 3.2 pg 57)
It says.
Human blood, blood products (other than commercially prepared microscope slides of blood) and human tiggue e.,g. cheek sell smears and urine, must not be used in science practial work. etc etc.

Someone suggested when we were doing forensic to do slides of a piece of hair, an eyelash and a piece of nylon. It's amazing the difference under a microscope between the hair and the eyelash.
Estelle

Yes, we are not to use human blood, but that is mainly due to risk of AIDS, hep B etc, animal blood is different. I would get it from Southern Biological in Vic, but when I asked her about the legislation for NSW, she said to me to be very careful and double check that it is OK.She did not know. I have contacted a lady( Sally) that Liz suggested, she put me on someone who might know. Sally only deals with live animals.

Thanks for your help, not over yet!!!
Lada

As Hendra virus has been in the news recently, I don't think using horse blood would be terribly clever. It is a cross over disease, and although unlikely, you don't get a second chance with it. The risk wouldn't be worth it. There is probably not a huge percentage risk with AIDS and Hepatitis in human samples, but they are banned.

I'm pretty sure someone has posted recipes for fake blood on here, which can then be 'tested' for blood type, but I could be dreaming about that... My thoughts were the same as Dime's though - is it worth the risk?

dime wrote:As Hendra virus has been in the news recently, I don't think using horse blood would be terribly clever. It is a cross over disease, and although unlikely, you don't get a second chance with it. The risk wouldn't be worth it. There is probably not a huge percentage risk with AIDS and Hepatitis in human samples, but they are banned.

Totally agree, as a parent I'd be a little more than upset if my child was involved.

Absolutely Id point the teacher to DPI NSW website to do some reading on Hendra, all us horse owners are to avoid contact with any bodily fluids! Even saliva which is difficult if your horse likes to lick you. MariaC

Hi Lada,
the body your after is
NSW Schools Animal Care & Ethics Committee (SACEC)
There is a doc Animals in schools, it has a DET, CEC & AIS nsw logo. Our fax is broken today and away on Monday on a excursion but could fax it to you Tuesday.
Its a current doc received which we needed to sign off on.
Send me a email if you need it or try google on SACEC, I have to run.
or NSW Animal Research Act 1985 is still current.
Hope that helps