Thanks to all.  These basic tips are really appreciated by those of us who
are new to the work.

Trisha

On Thu, 28 Oct 1999, Weems, Joyce wrote:

> This works well for GI biopsies also - throw it in your waterbath for a few
> minutes and chatter is not a problem!
> Joyce Weems
> Pathology Manager
> Saint Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta
>
>
> 	-----Original Message-----
> 	From:	NEVADUNNE@aol.com [SMTP:NEVADUNNE@aol.com]
> 	Sent:	Wednesday, October 27, 1999 8:16 PM
> 	To:	histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> 	Subject:	warm water block soak
>
> 	Hi everyone,
> 	    I'm an old war-horse HT working in a small community hospital
> doing
> 	routine histology. I'm just curious if anyone else has used a warm
> water soak
> 	for their paraffin blocks (after facing) to improve sectioning. I
> have found
> 	this technique very helpful in the sectioning of brittle biopsies
> and bloody
> 	specimens. The crushed ice and water soak prior to sectioning allows
> a few
> 	good sections after soak, but the warm water soak lets us get
> several ribbons
> 	 before we encounter dried out tissue. This has cut down on chatter,
> time
> 	spent re-soaking and over-all quality of sections.
> 	Any feedback?
>
> 	Maureen Tomblin HT(ASCP)
> 	Union Hospital
> 	Elkton, MD
>
>

Trisha