Date:          Mon, 08 May 2000 11:16:51 +1000
From:          Rhidian Harrington <r.harrington@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au>
Subject:       animal hair x-sections
To:            histoNet@Pathology.swmed.edu

Many (!!!!!) years aog when I worked part-time for vet we rolled 
bundles of hair in cigarette papers then processed the whole lot to  
to paraffin.  Cutting as many sections as you liked from the block.  
We achieved about 80% of the hairs in cross section.  I guess you 
could use any of the current wet strength papers to perform the 
same role.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I, with the help of Bruce Abaloz, have been trying to do 
cross sections of animal hairs without much success. I collected the 
hairs during a fauna survey in Pakistan. A cross section is the best 
characteristic for identifying unknown animal hairs. The literature 
(which is old) suggests that you use stainless steel slides with 0.8 
mm holes drilled in them. The hairs are packed tightly in the holes 
and  then cut off on either side of the slide. A cover slip can be 
mounted and the cross section viewed.

Does anybody know a different, more efficient method than this for 
doing cross sections of hairs?

Thanks,
Rhidian


_________________________
Rhidian Harrington
Department of Zoology
University of Melbourne
Melbourne, Victoria
AUSTRALIA  3010

Ph:  +61-3-8344 4354 (W)
      +61-3-9844 2703 (H)
Fax: +61-3-8344 7909

Bill Sinai
Department Manager
Tissue Pathology
ICPMR Westmead Hospital 
WESTMEAD NSW AUSTRALIA
Phone 61+2+9845 7774  Fax 61+2+9687 2330