Histonetters:

I have developed a problem that I am hoping someone out there in "Histoland"
can help me with.  I have been using Newcomer and Polyscientific 0.1%
aqueous picric acid/acetone for my Gram procedure for years.  In recent
weeks a problem has developed.  After completing the picric acid/acetone
step I have a nice yellowish background.  However, within minutes to hours
if you go back and look at the coverslipped slide it has turned very pink
and the there is a yellowish halo or blob that has shifted down the slide
away from the tissue.  When you look under the scope there is no yellow in
the tissue section any longer.  I tried a different bottle of picric
acid/acetone and additional xylene at the end but so far it has not helped.

Has anyone else experienced this problem?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Jeanine Bartlett
Centers for Disease Control
Atlanta, GA
jbartlett@cdc.gov