Marjorie,
 From what I understand it is the chemical itself that is no longer
neccesary in the lab. Keeping picric acid as a lone chemical is very
hazardous and the majority of labs no longer keep it in that form.
Although in Bouins it still needs to be treated carefully it is not as
hazardous as in its dry state.We kept our picric acid in an explosion
proof refrigerator, the humidity in the fridge kept some moisture.There
is a substitute for picric in the Brown and Brenn where a tartrazine sol
is used.But for trichrome Bouins is still the best mordant. Betsy

> ----------
> From: 	Hagerty, Marjorie A.[SMTP:mhagerty@emc.org]
> Sent: 	Friday, January 21, 2000 4:02 PM
> To: 	'Histonet'
> Subject: 	Bouins Substitute?
>
> I read an article that said it was no longer necessary to use Picric
> Acid in
> the histo lab. Do any of you substitute the Bouins in the Trichrome
> Stain?
> Can it be done?
>
> Thanks,
> Marg
>
> Eisenhower Medical Center
> 39-000 Bob Hope Drive
> Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
>
>