As a routine fixative calcium-acetate-formol is recommended causing no tissue shrinkage, haemolysis, formaldehyde pigments and having an almost neutral pH. Due to the formation of insoluble calcium salts it preserves fatty acids and water-soluble urates and makes them withstanding to paraffin embedding. If completed with methylene blue this solution is also suitable for an improved fixation of acidic glycosaminoglycans.