In the old days xylol was sometimes a mix of xylene and alcohol used just
prior to straight xylene in staining and coverslipping.  If it is this combo
she will get spots on slides as the alcohol will not mix well with most
coverslipping media and cause spots or bubbles. As Dr Richmond stated it can
refer to a type of xylene also.  It just depends on who or where you are and
the nomenclature.  Xylol is not a xylene substitute and she should look more
carefully at the market to get a true substitute.  Be careful some of those
also have drawbacks.  Pam Marcum

-----Original Message-----
From: RSRICHMOND@aol.com [mailto:RSRICHMOND@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2001 6:45 PM
To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
Subject: Re: Processing with xylol


Tom Buck at Hawkeye Biomedical in Atlantic, Iowa, describes a customer:

>>When she uses xylol instead of xylene, she is getting spots on the
slide.<<

Xylol is exactly the same thing as xylene (or xylenes). It's an obsolete
form
of the same name. It isn't a xylene substitute.

Bob Richmond
Samurai Pathologist
Knoxville TN