Another thing that Secureline markers will not survive is chloroform. 
If you had Carnoy's anywhere around that might be the reason for 
losing your numbers! J:>)

-----Original Message-----
From:	Jennings-Siena, Debbie 
[SMTP:ds.jennings-siena@baylordallas.edu]
Sent:	Wednesday, June 09, 1999 1:47 PM
To:	'WeissHouse@aol.com'; HistoNet@pathology.swmed.edu
Subject:	RE: cassettes

Hi Everyone,
Unfortunately, we have also had this problem recently, when the 
numbers
washed off of 18 G.I. Biopsy cassettes.  We were and still are using 
the
Secureline Markers.  We contacted the manufacturer of both the 
Secureline
markers and Sakura's Nancy Klemme.  We were also using the Sakura 
brand of
Histoscreen cassettes.  The Secureline marker representative told us 
that
the markers are guaranteed not to wash off in alcohol or xylene but 
there
are not guarantees about xylene and alcohol together, as there always 
is in
the processor.  The steps that we have taken to trying to prevent this 
from
happening are:
1.  Ordered a cassettee marker
2.  Made markers a Critical Supply. so that each lot number is checked 
on an
empty cassettes before being made available to the techs to use.
3.  We had over 200 markers in our gross room, so now we only use one 
lot
number at a time.  No, throwing them back into the drawers when they 
don't
work well anymore.  We also write the names of the patient's on the 
side of
the cassette.

We sent back our 200 markers to Secureline to do research on, but we 
have
yet to hear from them about the results.  So, we are waiting to have 
our new
cassette labeler delivered and in place asap.

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	WeissHouse@aol.com [SMTP:WeissHouse@aol.com]
> Sent:	Monday, June 07, 1999 9:56 PM
> To:	HistoNet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject:	cassettes
>
> i have been hearing about cassette numbers washing off lately. 
 anyone
> else
> having this problem?  what pen is being used by the majority of 
histonet
> users? it seems that the cassettes from sakura are smoother than 
usual,
> any
> response ? looking into marking systems. any suggestions?  are any 
of you
> histonetters having this problem and what do you attribute to it ?