Linda,
have to agree with you.  When I first started heree, they were using a
xylene-substitute, not Histoclear, but something similar.  The tissue wasn't
processing, immunos looked bad.  The first change I made was to switch back
to xylene.  I had a couple of complaints that the fumes were bad.  One tech
left early because he said he had a headache from the xylene.  I had a
company come in to do an air-sampling.  We registered 8ppm/ 8 hrs.  Anyway,
the lab techs come over to us when we are changing the stainer so they can
smell the xylene too.  We keep telling them that xylene is the reason why we
are so happy in the afternoons.

Joe Nocito, B.S., HT(ASCP)QIHC
Histology Supervisor
Christus Santa Rosa Hospitals
San Antonio, Texas 
  

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Linda Jenkins [SMTP:jlinda@ces.clemson.edu]
> Sent:	Wednesday, March 01, 2000 9:33 AM
> To:	histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject:	Xylene does smell nice!
> 
> Dear Peter,
> 	You don't know how relieved I am that you made the comment about
> xylene smelling nice.  It's nice to know there is one more out there who
> shares my fondness for that particular aroma.  Acetone is another personal
> favorite.  One of the reasons I went into histology MANY years ago was
> because I liked the way that part of the lab smelled.   Guess that's why
> xylene is called an "aromatic" hydrocarbon;  the histologists' own
> personal
> brand of aromatherapy!  Now, before the "safety patrol" comes after me - I
> haven't allowed those intoxicating smells in my lab in many years.  Just
> reminiscing:-)
> 	Actually, as a safety note, it doesn't pay to keep  chemicals
> without the proper signage on them.  We had been using Fisher's " Aerosol
> OT"  solution (butyl cellosolve) in the water bath as a surfactant.  Once
> again, this particular chemical had an almost hypnotically sweet aroma -
> intensified by the warm waterbath.  Didn't need to use but a capful per
> day
> so the bottle lasted and lasted, etc. (early '80's).  Nothing on the
> label,
> no MSDS.  Finally, one day we ordered a new bottle(1991).  WOW - you
> should
> have seen the new label on this bottle.  Among the items that caught my
> attention were phrases such as:  IMMEDIATELY dangerous to life or health,
> causes hemolytic anemia, narcosis, kidney or liver failure and brain
> damage, and involuntary movement of the eyeball.  Needless to say, we
> promptly changed our waterbath protocol.
> 	Linda
> PS - Always thought the citrus-based, xylene subtiutes smelled like a
> Florida orange grove "gone bad"!
> *********************************
> Linda Jenkins, HT
> Clemson University
> Department of Bioengineering
> 864.656.5553
> **********************************