[Histonet] Off the subject magazine article

Mon May 22 12:34:48 CDT 2006

The article was fun to read, but my part in the project, as reported or 
written up was totally inaccurate - the person writing this up did not 
contact me about my involvement in the project, probably something they 
never do.  I did some work teaching the PhD student about MMA plastic 
embedding,  but I never would have taken slides to some meeting to entice 
pathologists to look at it nor am I a  molecular biologist!!!  The project 
was totally proprietary at the time i.e. you don't give out people research 
projects without their permission.

But I did teach the dinosaur people on our campus that one could embed 
extinct bone (T. rex, very dry, filled with sand, dirt, etc) in poly 
methylmethacrylate plastic, cut with diamond saws, and grind thin 
sections.  This was done years and years ago, back in Jurassic Park ages.

So be careful that you read this kind of publication with tongue in cheek - 
the facts are not always correct  - at least I am in the Smithsonian 
archives now and in a few years they can put my old bones there too 
-  propped up next to T. Rex.    And thanks for the congratulations -

At 10:55 AM 5/22/2006, you wrote:

>This is totally off the subject but.... I was reading an article in the 
>May 06 Smithsonian Magazine at my doctors office and noticed Gayle 
>Callis's name in the article about dinosaurs.  It was a wonderful article 
>about some really exciting new discoveries in Montana.   Everyone should 
>read this wonderful article.  Congratulations on being involved in this 
>exciting project.
>
>Carole Fields
>Lexington, SC
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Gayle Callis [<mailto:gcallis <@t> montana.edu>mailto:gcallis <@t> montana.edu]
>Sent: Monday, May 22, 2006 12:34 PM
>To: Kemlo Rogerson; Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>Subject: RE: [Histonet] Re: Bouins alternative/substitute question
>
>Kemlo,
>
>Interesting that you said this, and also a story from our university
>chemical safety handling of dry picric acid found in an old
>laboratory.  They had a hard time getting it to explode also.
>
>Chemical safety removed a jar of picric acid,  dry and age
>undetermined.  Knowing it was explosive, the fellow in charge took it out
>to a very remote area and shot at the jar with a rifle, and it took a lot
>of rifle bullets to get it to blow up.  He did have a good session of
>target practice for deer hunting season being in the Wild Wild West of
>Montana.
>
>The potential is there for explosion, and we still have picric acid on our
>shelves, although stored under a generous layer of distilled water.  When
>we need to make up Bouins, we just scoop it out and make sure we have a
>saturated solution of picric acid.
>
>Care must be taken to keep dry crystals off lids, these are actually sealed
>by dipping into hot paraffin, and check regularly for any leakage around
>lid.  I don't think it would be a good thing to have in a laboratory fire,
>but solvents are just as bad.  How many people still store isopentane in a
>non explosion proof freezer - now that IS an explosive situation.
>
>   We remain cautious but not in panic state.  Bouins is still very
>important as a fixative and mordant for Massons trichrome, we will continue
>to use it, dispose of it correctly and not put metal cassettes into it.  We
>often purchase it ready made from Sigma to avoid having to handle it.
>
>At 09:27 AM 5/22/2006, you wrote:
> >I think it is because picric acid explodes when dry but I've tried, and
> >tried, and tried and it has never exploded.
> >
> >Has anyone ever succeeded?
> >
> >Kemlo Rogerson
> >Pathology Manager
> >Ext  3311
> >DD   01934 647057
> >Mob 07749 754194
> >
> >Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. --W. B.
> >Yeats
> >
> >
> >
> >
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>Gayle Callis
>MT,HT,HTL(ASCP)
>Research Histopathology Supervisor
>Veterinary Molecular Biology
>Montana State University - Bozeman
>PO Box 173610
>Bozeman MT 59717-3610
>406 994-6367
>406 994-4303 (FAX)
>
>
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Gayle Callis HTL, HT, MT(ASCP)
Research Histopathology Supervisor
Veterinary Molecular Biology
Montana State University
Bozeman MT 59717