As someone who worked with and for tissue processor manufacturers I can tell
you exceptions were made for Bouin's by VIP, only.  However, unless you are
as careful as Gayle has been it will corrode the metals in the system,
valves and lines.  The only thing to do at that point is to trash the
processor as it would cost as much to rebuilt it as buy it.
Also if the tanks were the cast aluminum with a coating the Bouin's got
under the lining and ate the tank.  This was the reason some early systems
forbade the use of Bouin's and the it stuck even after the tank
configuration changed for the better. Bouin's scares most manufacturers. Pam

-----Original Message-----
From: Gayle Callis [mailto:uvsgc@msu.oscs.montana.edu]
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2000 7:22 AM
To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
Subject: Bouins in VIP


Interesting Sakura says that, because I did a whole lot of Bouins fixed
tissues, whole projects at cassette capacity for the instrument, without
any damage to my machine. and I was never told not to use my VIP this way,
but then I have had this machine for YEARS and maybe before they started
saying Bouins was a no no!

However, I was careful to change out my 70% alcohols, had an extra station
of that on machine  or 70% X 2 changes, and made sure I did rotate out any
alcohols that looked yellow even though it was still detectable in some of
the upper alcohols.  These changes were done daily, so I may have spent a
bit more time and money getting rid of contaminated alcohols, which may
have been the factor saving the VIP.  It still purrs along, without a hitch.

Final removal of picric acid was done with a tap water rinse (the old way
of doing it, or the way I learned years ago)after hydrating slides and
BEFORE going
going into any stains.  Rinse takes only a few minutes, 2 or so.


Gayle Callis
Veterinary Molecular Biology
Montana State University
Bozeman MT 59717-3610
406 994-4705
406 994-4303