Hi Trisha,
Okay, "desperate times call for desperate measures!" Have you 
ever been BBQ'ing a steak or pork chop and had the edge curl up 
because of the fat/grizzle on the outside of the meat? What do you 
do? You cut the through the fat so the meat will then lay flat!

I would first get the okay from your pathologist/investigator, but I'm 
thinking if you place a cut strategically on the surface of the block, 
when the section hits the water, it will be able to "relax" and lay flat 
for you. I should also warn, this advice is as yet untried. But I refer 
you back to the cliche in line one. Good luck. (And definitely tell me 
if it works)
Cheers! Greg

Date sent:      	Mon, 08 Oct 2001 15:55:31 -0700 (PDT)
From:           	"P. Emry" 
Subject:        	Re: puckers/snout
Forwarded to:   	DOBBIN@acad1.cs.upei.ca
To:             	Greg Dobbin 

> Hi Greg,
> 
> I am doing cross sections of snout to look at the nasal septum.  I run
> into the problem of having the septum swell when I soak it, but not the
> surrounding tissue.  There seems to be a capsul around the septum that
> does not expand on the waterbath so the septum puckers.  I have tried
> every paraffin trick I know.  Any advice?
> 
> I did try your trick below, but just made a mess of it.
> Trisha
> 
> 
> On Thu, 27 Sep 2001, Greg Dobbin wrote:
> 
> > Trisha,
> > I like Louise Renton's suggestion, and would try that first. But there
> > is another neat little trick I use sometimes when I am having trouble
> > getting any section to lay flat and adhere properly; as soon as I
> > have picked the section up off the waterbath, I lay the slide (section
> > up) in between a filter paper (folded in half) and wetted with water,
> > and carefully roll the section flat using a glass specimen jar (the one
> > I use is similar to what you would use to store preserved parasite
> > samples in). Obviously take care to apply even pressure and be
> > careful not to twist the jar and cause damage to your section. I try
> > not to reuse the same place on filter paper from one section to the
> > next. (If I wasn't clear enough in my description, let me know and I'll
> > try again!) Good luck.
> > Greg

>
>
>
>
>
>
Greg Dobbin
Pathology Lab
Atlantic Veterinary College, U.P.E.I.
550 University Ave.
Charlottetown, P.E.I.
Canada,  C1A 4P3
Phone: (902)566-0744
Fax: (902)566-0851