[Histonet] (no subject)

[Philip Oshel]

Ah, I no longer feel so alone. I recall using bunsen burners in 
junior high (that ought to date me -- "middle school" now), high 
school, as a college freshman and so on. Never a problem, no 
burned-down schools, no explosions, no kids on fire. (Mind, my 
brother did make nitrate contact explosives with his chemistry set, 
so I never got to have one.) Is common sense so dead that even 
experienced lab workers must be protected from themselves?
I've never understood the anti-bunsen paranoia. Someone should write 
a history of the bunsen burner: a modest little device, but where 
would chemistry, microbiology, and science in general be without it?

Phil

>In the good old days of Bunsen burners we used to fry the end of the
>forceps; nothing survived that and if it did it was readily identifiable.
>Alas the Bunsen burner has been consigned to the politically incorrect as
>the 'Scientists' of today would incinerate themselves whilst the
>'Technicians' of yesterday didn't (well not often).
>
>The sad demise of mercury, lead, Bunsen burners, formalin, anything too hot,
>too cold, too explosive, too poisonous, etc. Having your tea in the Lab next
>to the specimens and processing TB specimens 'on the bench'.
>
>Would Histology have the techniques and stains it now has if harmful
>chemicals had not been experimented with? Will anything new be discovered by
>the HistoTech if all that we can use is 'safe' chemicals and procedures? I
>don't see the kids fiddling with things like we use to, no explosions, no
>fires and no injuries. Am I just an old reactionary waiting to be put out to
>pasture and ruminate on what was?
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of sheila adey
>Sent: 17 November 2007 20:41
>To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>Subject: [Histonet] (no subject)
>
>
>Hi Netters,
>
>We are trying to minimize possible embedding contaminations. What are other
>people doing to prevent contamination due to forceps etc.
>
>Thanks in advanceSheila Adey HT MLTPort Huron HospitalMichigan