Rita,

Your processing will always change the percentages of your solutions. That
is because they are extracting water from your tissues. That's what you want
them to do.

You can use molecular sieves to capture water in your 100 percent alcohols.
Some have color indicators which turn from blue to pink when saturated with
water.

Be aware that 100 percent alcohol will absorb water from the atmosphere and
any open containers can be assumed to be less that 100 percent. Without
molecular sieves there is no way to keep it 100 percent.

The fact your tissues looked 'cooked' may mean you are dehydrating too
much, however.



Tim Morken, B.A., EMT(MSA), HTL(ASCP)
Infectious Disease Pathology
Centers for Disease Control
MS-G32
1600 Clifton Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30333
USA

email: tim9@cdc.gov
       timcdc@hotmail.com

Phone: (404) 639-3964
FAX:  (404)639-3043

----Original Message Follows----
From: Rita Riddle <RitaR@lexhealth.org>
To: "'HISTONET@PATHOLOGY.SWMED.EDU'" <HISTONET@pathology.swmed.edu>
Subject: PROCESSOR QUESTION
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2000 16:45:09 -0500

HELLO HISTONETER,
WE HAVE 2 VIP'S ONE IS 10 YEARS OLD AND WE HAVE THE BRAND NEW VIP WHICH IS
ABOUT 4 MONTHS OLD. MY QUESTION WE ARE FINDING OUT THAT OUR ALCOHOLS HAVE
CHANGE IN STRENGTH. WE ARE PUTTING OWN 80,95,100%. WE ARE FINDING OUT THAT
SOMETIME THE TISSUE LOOKS LIKE IT IS COOKED. WHEN WE START CHECKING THE
SOLUTION WE ARE FINDING THAT WE DO NOT HAVE TRUE %. ONE OF OUR PATHOLOGIST
SAID WHEN HE WAS IN SCHOOL THERE WAS A SOLUTION THAT YOU PUT IN THE SCHOOL
TO LET YOU KNOW IF IT WAS A TRUE 100% IT WOULD TURN COLOR. HE CAN NOT
REMEMBER IF WAS PINK OR BLUE. ANY SUGGESTION OWN HOW WE CAN SOLVE THIS
PROBLEM. WE USE A LOT OF AGAR WITH OUR SMALL SPECIMEN SO THINGS ARE BRITTLE
AND HARD. TRYING REPROSSING AND IT WAS JUST AWFUL. THANKS FOR ANY
SUGGESTION.

RITA






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