ABSTRACT
As mentioned in Chapter 1, flexible film plastic developed largely as a result of the work of Professor Philip Trexler, who made flexible film isolators to house research animals, particularly mice and, to a lesser extent, rats, during the 1950s. The flexible film forms a sealed envelope, perhaps including the floor, often referred to as the canopy. This is then tied to a rigid framework structure with Velcro® or zip ties, and the whole assembly is mounted on some form of table or trolley. The material used is invariably PVC, with a fairly high plasticiser content to give flexibility and elasticity. It is usually 0.30 to 0.50 mm in thickness and one of three types:
1. Natural. This is a translucent material available in roll form. It is cheap and easily worked, often used for sleeves and canopy ties in animal isolators.
