Louise,
I can address practices performed at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas from
1961 on. We made 10% NBF and we did pH each batch that was made up.
Sandy Hinton

> ----------
> From: 	Ms Louise Taylor[SMTP:179LOU@chiron.wits.ac.za]
> Sent: 	Wednesday, December 09, 1998 4:27 AM
> To: 	histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject: 	formalin
>
> Hello histonetters,
>
> I am currently engaged on a seriously retrospective project involving
> performing PCR on  paraffin embedded archival tissues some of which
> are more than 30 years old. The variablity of the DNA viability and
> content is astounding. A factor that I can only ascribe to the
> various fixatives used way back then.
>
> Could some of the older histotechnologists give me some insight into
> what was common practice in say, the late 50's early 60's?
> (I will understand if some of you just say that you are reporting
> hearsay - after all - we don't all want to reveal our age?)
>
> When did buffered formalin come into vogue? As a mere whippersnapper
> of some 17 years experience - I can recall the unpleasantness of
> trying to make up buffered formalin in 25l quantities - an innovation
> and a great pain to a raw recruit.!
>
> I will appreciate any insight into what really happened
>
> many thanks
> Louise Taylor
> Johannesburg
> South Sfrica
>