Thank you for the wonderful description of acid fast staining and the need
for phenol or similar compound to make staining work.  

Now, how about a brand/exact name for the liquid organic cleaner you
suggested?! It would be greatly appreciated for those whose want to
eliminate the toxic phenol from their labs.

Hmmmm years ago (back in the Dark Ages), when taking a microbiology course
at Oregon State University, College then, after lab, we washed our hands
with a phenol solution, complaints abounded after lab about phenol fume
cologne clinging to skin. We pipetted everything by mouth, and also
infected guinea pigs with viable TB organisms who merrily ran around their
cages, living the good life. It never did in the poor creatures and none of
us sero converted plus I had a klutz lab partner who spilled every and
anything she touched!   Am I lucky or what!  


 


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