Which fixative contains absolute alcohol, acetic acid, and chloroform?

• A. Carnoy
• B. Bouin
• C. Gendre
• D. Hollande

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is identifying a fixative by its chemical makeup. Carnoy’s fixative is the one that includes absolute alcohol (ethanol), acetic acid, and chloroform in the mixture. This combination fixes tissue rapidly by dehydrating with the alcohol, preserving nuclear detail with acetic acid, and aiding penetration and fat removal with chloroform. Because Bouin and the other listed fixatives have different components (for example, Bouin uses picric acid with formalin and acetic acid, not chloroform or a pure alcohol/dehydrant mix), the described trio uniquely matches Carnoy’s fixative.