Dear Barbara,

	I was taught to cut standing up while I was doing my degree and I do find
it much more comfortable, but I have never seen it done in path labs.  (My
teacher was also of English origin) I used to do a bit in my last job but
mainly when I was demonstrating.  

	In some labs I have seen technicians cut "side saddle" with the handle
immediately in front of them & the sections coming off the knife to their
left.  Personally I was never comfortable with this method, but some people
swear by it.  It certainly changes the muscle groups used!

	I suspect the reason we don't see many people cutting standing up is that
most benches in modern labs are just too low (or am I just too tall!).

	Regards
	
	Rob W.

At 03:21 PM 6/1/99 -0400, you wrote:
>When I  was  taught  cutting  with the
>microtome (many years ago)  we  stood
>at  a  counter -
>I was told  by  my teacher  - she  had 
>always done it that  way - and  thought
>that  possibly her teacher  learned histology  in  England....
>So I have continued  to  do this  - no
>carpal  tunnel  -good  posture- weight
>contol  -
>But  I've been curious  - is it done this
>way  in UK? - does anyone else cut
>standing up-
>best regards to all  "histonetters"
>Barbara Webb HT(ASCP)HTL
>Dorchester General  Hospital
>Cambridge, Maryland 


R. Wadley, B.App.Sc, M.L.S
Laboratory Manager
Cellular Analysis Facility
School of Microbiology & Immunology
UNSW, New South Wales, Australia, 2052
Ph (BH) 	+61 (2) 9385 3517
Ph (AH)	+61 (2) 9555 1239
Fax 	+61 (2) 9385 1591
E-mail	r.wadley@unsw.edu.au
www	http://www.unsw.edu.au/clients/microbiology/CAF.html
	(Under development)