Dear Dana,
adopt a friend in Microbiology next door to you, and ask them to help you
make a Gram control for Histo. Now visit Maternity and and find the charge
nurse and arrange for yourself to get a fresh sliver of placenta after the
next delivery during working hours (you might also need the permission of
the delivering Doctor).
Innoculate one vial each of nutrient broth with a single colony touch of
either a known or wild strain of E.Coli and S.Epidermidis (Aureus will do
too), incubate both vials for 20-40mins @ 37C, then place a segment of
placenta in each and incubate for a further 20-40 mins. (You can if you
wish, pool both culture broths at this time and just use a single segment of
placenta). Decant off fluid from vials into disinfectant and refill vial
with 10%NBF, or transfer tissue to a histo-pot.
I personally prefer only 20min timing and using a 37C water bath. The longer
times produce more autolysis and digestion.
After fixing for 24-48hrs, process as you would a normal block- you now have
a control that will last you years.
Regards Mike (Downunder)
-----Original Message-----
From: Dana Settembre <settembr@UMDNJ.EDU>
To: Histonet <histonet@Pathology.swmed.edu>
Date: Tuesday, 8 June 1999 12:45
Subject: Gram control


>Hello,
>We are deperate for a Gram positive/negative control.  Can someone share a
>paraffin block.  We will be glad to reciprocate.
>
>Dana Settembre
>Immunohistochemistry Lab
>University Hospital
>Newark, NJ
>
>
>