[Histonet] Picric acid

[Roger Moretz]

I have to chime in on this.  I had an experience back
in the olde tymes (at least 25-30 yrs ago!) when I had
to clean out an old stock area.  I had a chemist look
through to make sure I had nothing nasty in there (the
chemicals were from a pathologist who did his own
thing--started in the 30's) and then had a summer
intern start hauling cartloads to the lab where we
sorted things out and disposed of them appropriately. 
Well, what comes out on one bumpy cartload but a
nearly full bottle of Picric Acid all recrystallized
into beautiful orange crystals on the lid and
throughout the jar.  It (and we) survived the bumpy
ride (so much for having a chemist check things out
for nasty substances), and I carefully took the jar,
placed it in the back of a hood, and notified the
proper authorities (Safety, of all people).  About one
hour later we were evacuating the building (it was a
beautiful, warm May afternoon, and the ice cream truck
stopped by...but that's another story) while the bomb
squad gingerly removed the offending bottle and
disposed of it (I think they eventually detonated it,
but there was no big bang).  Then, the facility
director (a pathologist) had me accompany him on a
sweep through the building for any other possible
explosives (what am I, a bomb squad member here?)
during which sweep we found a brand new bottle
(received the day before) of Picric Acid (with the
requisite water) in the Histology Lab (of all places).
 Well, in comes the Bomb Squad, out goes the Picric
Acid and the Histologists land all over me.  At least
the ice cream was good....;-)

Roger Moretz, Ph.D.
from another place than where the Picric Acid incident
took place.


--- bhewlett <@t> cogeco.ca wrote:

> > You still have the problem of moving a potentially
> explosive bottle!!
> Still a dumb move, call the bomb disposal experts.
> 
> > You would put the bottle in a bucket of water and
> open it under water.Joyce WeemsPathology
> ManagerSaint Joseph's
> > Hospital 5665 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd NEAtlanta, GA
> 30342404-851-7376 - Phone404-851-7831 -
> Fax-----Original
> > Message-----From:
>
histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu]On
> Behalf
> > Of BryanHewlettSent: Monday, April 16, 2007 5:09
> PMTo: AGrobe2555 <@t> aol.com;
> histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.eduSubject:
> > Re: [Histonet] Picric acidHow would you get the
> bottle open to add the water???Moving the bottle or
> opening it could
> > set it off.Dumb move!!!Bryan----- Original Message
> ----- From: <AGrobe2555 <@t> aol.com>To:
> > <histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>Sent: Monday,
> April 16, 2007 4:32 PMSubject: [Histonet] Picric
> acid> It probably
> > would have been easier to add some water to the >
> bottle......and> less expensive too.>>>>>
> > ************************************** See what's
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