KNIFE

Description: KNIFE IS SPATULA STYLE WITH ROUNDED TIP. ALL SIDES OF BLADE HAVE BEEN SHARPENED. HANDLE OF KNIFE IS CHROME PLATED BRASS. HANDLE HAS ROUNDED CORNERS AND TAPERED BOLSTER. SOME OF PLATING HAS WORN OFF. PORTIONS OF BLADE THAT HAVE BEEN GROUND ARE TARNISHED.

History: KNIFE WAS REMOVED FROM THE MORGUE AT ST. MICHAEL'S HOSPITAL BEFORE THE HOSPITAL WAS DEMOLISHED IN 1996. FOR MORE HISTORY ON HOSPITAL SEE P19960116001-GA. PRESENTATION BY PATHOLOGY STAFF DR. RAY BAINBOROUGH AND HARRY HEINRICHS IN MARCH 2007 STATED THAT VARIOUS KNIVES WERE USED TO CUT THROUGH TISSUE AND TO REMOVE THE ORGANS. DEPENDENT UPON THE PATHOLOGIST, THE ASSISTANTS TOOK THE ORGANS OUT IN A PARTICULAR MANNER WHICH, THEY PUT IN A BOWL AND CARRIED OVER TO A SINK. THEREAFTER, LARGER KNIVES (EG. P19960116084 & P19960116096) WOULD BE USED TO SECTION OFF SPECIMENS FOR CLOSER INSPECTION AND ANALYSIS. ACCORDING TO RETIRED ST. MICHAEL’S PATHOLOGY STAFF MEMBERS DR. RAY BAINBOROUGH AND HARRY HEINRICHS, ONCE ALL OF THE SUBJECT’S NECESSARY ORGANS WERE REMOVED, THE PATHOLOGIST USED THIS PARTICULAR STYLE OF KNIFE TO SECTION THE ORGANS (EG. LUNGS) TO SEE IF ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THEM. IF FURTHER INVESTIGATION WAS REQUIRED, THE PATHOLOGIST WOULD USE THE KNIFE TO CUT A SMALL SAMPLE OR SECTION OUT. LATER, HISTOLOGY TECHNOLOGISTS OR A HISTOLOGIST WOULD DEVELOP THE SECTIONS INTO WAX BLOCKS, TO BE CUT BY A MICROTMOME AND MOUNTED ON SLIDES, FOR VIEWING UNDER THE MICROSCOPE.