RE: Grocott problems

From:Cheryl Powell

Hi, some other things to try are 1.  how much borax do you put into the 
working solution?  Too much will take forever to stain- try decreasing 
amount or percentage.  Or 2.  how long ago were the control slides cut?  
SOme bugs, like spirocetes, decrease stainablity over time.  I don't know if 
it's been documented for PCP but it happened to me once and that's what 
fixed it for me.  Good luck!   Cheryl



>From: "Weems, Joyce" 
>To: "'Johnston, Kathy'" , "Histonet (E-mail)" 
>
>Subject: RE: Grocott problems
>Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 13:57:32 -0400
>
>1st of all - is your glass ware acid cleaned? 2nd - Do you have a neighbor
>that you could ask to do parallel stains - just to see if it might be
>something in the processing? If the same thing happens at your neighbor's,
>then you'll know it's not just the stain.  Just my first thoughts.
>Joyce Weems
>Pathology Manager
>Saint Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta
>
>
>	-----Original Message-----
>	From:	Johnston, Kathy [SMTP:Kathy.Johnston@CLS.ab.ca]
>	Sent:	Friday, April 26, 2002 1:34 PM
>	To:	Histonet (E-mail)
>	Subject:	Grocott problems
>
>	We have been experiencing problems with our GMS stain over the past
>few
>	weeks.  We run both a control slide containing fungal hyphae, and p.
>carnii
>	to cover our bases.  Our problem is: it is taking much longer to
>stain in
>	silver, and after we tone, and Na thio the slides, they are so pale
>(or non
>	existent), that they are unacceptable.
>
>	We have made new: 5% silver, 3% methenamine, 5% borax, stock silver
>	methenamine, 5% chromic acid, 0.1% gold chloride, and 2% sodium
>thio.  All
>	to little avail other than to be able to make them acceptable to
>sent out,
>	but not up to our usual standard.
>
>	Any help on this very frustrating dilemma would be greatly
>appreciated!
>
>	Thanks in advance!
>
>	Kathy Johnston
>	Tech II - Special Stains
>	Anatomic Pathology - Foothills Medical Center
>	Calgary Laboratory Services
>	Ph - 403-670-4760
>	Fax - 403-270-4093
>	kathy.johnston@cls.ab.ca
>
>


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