[Histonet] Re: 200Proof

[Hobbs, Carl]

Just to try to help to make clear to those of us who get confused when people talk about "proof" and % alcohol, I would recommend reading : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proof_spirit
Proof is all about NOT getting a BANG from gunpowder ;-)

In UK Histopath/Histology labs, we traditionally use 64OP and/or 74OP Spirit, to confuse the post a little: this is NOT pure ethanol but Industrial Methylated Spirit (IMS).
OP= Over-Proof, an antiquated English Customs and Excise term but, a nice and precise term/measure.
 If you want to test it with Gunpowder to make sure.....you run the risk of being arrested as a terrorist.

IMS does not incur taxation/regulation , in the way that ethanol does, because Methanol is added to the Ethanol base. ( under increasing EU regulations I may be wrong,now)
Anyone who uses Ethanol for tissue processing/de-rehydrating is incurring, in many  Countries, imho,  extra irrelevant costs.
Sure, many Histonetters do not have a choice.
Carl