RE: Coverslipping without gloves

From:

"Smith, Allen"

Coverslipping without gloves

"The poison is in the dose." - Theophrastus Paracelsus

A technician who coverslips every day should use gloves and will become skilled with them in a few days.

A professor who coverslips once a week gets very little exposure to xylene and will remain clumsy with the gloves.

-----Original Message-----
From: sue hacker (IAH-C) [mailto:Sue.Hacker@bbsrc.ac.uk]
Sent: Tue 4/22/2003 4:17 AM
To: 'Histonet@pathology.swmed.edu'
Cc:
Subject: Coverslipping without gloves

Dear All, I have read all the mail on this subject with disbelief. I cannot believe that in this age of health and safety there are senior Histologists who are condoning coverslipping without gloves and even sounding proud of the fact that they are being so irresponsible. They are setting a very bad example for junior staff. To say that they have carried out this practice for many years without being ill is no excuse.They are as bad as heavy smokers who are proud of the fact that they have not yet succumbed to cancer. My lab became a Xylene free environment some years ago and believe me our health is much better for it. You may think you are not suffering any ill effects from Xylene, but you probably are! Even with a safer Xylene substitute we always coverslip with nitrile gloves and it is no more difficult than without gloves.(I have done both as I have over 20 years service). Susan Hacker IAH, Compton, Berks.

<< Previous Message | Next Message >>