The following story appeared in this morning's Knoxville TN News-Sentinel 
(June 24th, 2000):

'Mouse House' Operations Resume

Operations returned to normal Friday at Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Mouse 
House a day after two bottles of potentially explosive picric acid were 
removed and disposed of, officials said.

About 70 employees at the research facility were told to stay home Thursday 
because safety concerns were raised during a chemical inventory.

"This was all a safety precaution," said Marty Goolsby, a laboratory 
spokeswoman.

Gollsby said acid in the bottles had crystallized and dried, making it 
shock-sensitive and potentially hazardous. The Mouse House, which is inside 
the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant, houses thousands of specially bred mice for 
genetic experiments. Only a few personnel were allowed inside the facility 
Thursday to feed the mice and do essential maintenance.

Bob Richmond
Samurai Pathologist
Knoxville TN (near Oak Ridge)