I rarely use ammonia ('monia, as a person I used to work with would call
it) to soak, but when I do it's for areas of calcification in otherwise
soft tissue, toenal, hoof, or bone that hasn't been completely decaled.  I
use strong ammonia diluted in DI water to about 30% and soak for 15 minutes
(in the fume hood). This softens these "hard bodies" so I can cut them, so
that's a plus.  What adverse things it does I don't know as none of my
pathologists has ever complained about this.


At 11:25 AM 06/23/2000 -0400, Ryan.Linda wrote:
>How many out in HistoLand soak your blocks in ice water with ammonium
>hydroxide added?  What are the pros and cons(other that the odor!) of using
>ammonium hydroxide?
>
>Thanks  
>
>Linda Ryan, BS, HT(ASCP)HTL
>National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
>111  T. W. Alexander Dr.
>Bldg./rm.: 101/C-262
>P.O. Box 12233
>Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
>(919) 541-4880(Laboratory)
>
>
>
Connie McManus
Veterinary Diagnostics Lab
Utah State University
Logan, UT
USA