> It would never have occurred to me that those who processed tissue and
> prepared slides would lack the capacity to perform quality control on
> their own work.  From what I have seen on this list over the past year,
> there are many histologists among you.  The key is to have the confidence
> to say so!  After 35 years of teaching, it is clear that an Histologist is
> self-made, not trained; guided, not taught.  Since all microanatomy is
> performed on displaced live tissue or cells OR on various kinds of
> artifact, it is ALL a matter of opinion and consensus.  Anyone can join
> the discussion.  
> 
> I must say, however, that since the stakes are so high, it is not
> surprising that among microscopists, the best histologists are
> pathologists - a generalization that I have found to be true and one that
> has not deterred me from practicing histology in an environment with fewer
> restrictions and far less stress.
> 
> Mike,
> 	My first infiltration (1960) was performed with a desk top paraffin
> threesome with rheostated incandescents providing the heat, and a shelf
> half way down the 600ml 'tall' beakers to provide the 'melting point' at
> which the tissues lay while they were exchanging paraffin for
> benzene(!!!!).  Right there in the middle of the lab bench, with the
> windows usually open.  The 'machine' was constructed of copper sheeting
> and measured about 16" W x 12"H x 5" D.  The three beakers were about 6-7"
> high and 3" in diameter.  One gained access via the sides which were
> hinged and lifted up to expose the baths.  At the base of each side was a
> shelf with three half circles cut out so that the two halves would 'cut'
> the beakers approximately in half.  The light bulb sockets had variable
> impedence that was changed by a chain in a knob.  Simple, straight
> forward, and today - illegal, except as a curiosity.  If I had one, I'd
> place it right next to my double-pan balance with the slate base and wood
> (?) frame, and my two 11" power vacuum tubes (with standard light bulb
> bases!) from an old RCA EMU 4 high voltage tank, and my still functioning
> Ortholux I, and my Laborlux, and my Apple IIe, soon my first cooled CCD,
> 24-bit video camera, and my 35mm film cameras.  
> 
> With junk in the basement, and almost everywhere else, I remember too.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Fred Monson
> 
> Frederick C. Monson, PhD   
> Center for Advanced Scientific Imaging
> Schmucker II Science Center
> West Chester University
> South Church Street and Rosedale
> West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA, 19383
> Phone:  610-738-0437
> FAX:  610-738-0437
> fmonson@wcupa.edu
> CASI URL:  http://darwin.wcupa.edu/casi/
> WCUPA URL:  http://www.wcupa.edu/
> Visitors URL:  http://www.wcupa.edu/_visitors/
> 
> 
> ----------
> From: 	Mike Kirby
> Sent: 	Tuesday, July 9, 2002 3:18 AM
> To: 	Histonet (E-mail)
> Subject: 	Med Tech's as Histologists????
> 
> 
> The question asked was, "Are Med Techs good enough to be trained as
> Histologists?"
> 
>  Of course we are!  We have all the Lab background that's required, and
> one
> can learn to "slice & dice" in about three weeks flat.
>  I did,  because as a student, I was given three months to learn the
> techniques before we wrote our finals, and, except for tissue processing,
> we
> did everything by hand!
> 
>  Ok, that was back in the sixties, (Yes, I am an ooooold Med Tech) and
> possibly one would need more time to master all the new    
>  special stains and immunohistology that you do now days, but the average
> Med Tech should be more than up to scratch.
> 
>  If we can hack our way through Microbiology, Biochemistry and
> Haematology,
> Histopathology is a piece of cake.
>  (It's all in the wrist, my dear!).
> 
> Yours (from a lofty perch - and no doubt, soon to have his nose bloodied).
> 
> Mike Kirby.
> NHLS
> Johannesburg
> South Africa.
> 
> 
>