My very first Histo job was with Metpath in Hackensack NJ. We had Bunsen burners right next to a xylene bath for dirty molds. One day a tech accidentally had a xylene Bunsen burner collision and started a fire. We had another tech who was quick with head and feet who was able to extinguish it - but there was damage. As to smoking in the lab I do remember. Between the fumes and the smoke I found breathing a little difficult. But yes those were the "good 'ol days". Vikki On Nov 18, 2014 5:22 PM, "Marcum, Pamela A" <pamar...@uams.edu> wrote:
> We have days when one of the histologist who has been here for years and I > (going in 50years) start talking about the good days and everyone here is > under 40. They look shocked and then disbelief and then they think we are > kidding. They are so sure we have always known which chemicals were > dangerous or killers and no one could possibly ever have been so careless. > WOW! I like to show them old equipment and ask how they think it might > work in a lecture on tissue processing. They have no clue about an open > processor in small room with no ventilation and we worked in it with our > open stains lines and flames on the counter. Now it does sound scary! > > > -----Original Message----- > From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto: > histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Blazek, Linda > Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2014 3:04 PM > To: Jay Lundgren; Ludlow Patricia > Cc: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu > Subject: RE: [Histonet] Flames at embedding centers > > Grinning and remembering the "good old days". What's more fun is the look > of horror on the faces of the young ones when they hear it! > > -----Original Message----- > From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto: > histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Jay Lundgren > Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2014 2:42 PM > To: Ludlow Patricia > Cc: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu > Subject: Re: [Histonet] Flames at embedding centers > > Ahh, the good old days of walking into the lab and lighting all the > Bunsen burners first thing in the morning. I didn't have any hair on my > knuckles for years. Embedding with a Coke on the cold plate, and a smoke > in the ashtray next to you, anyone? Good times. > > Now we have to use forceps warmers and change forceps between > specimens. If you get 3 or 4 pair of forceps, one will always be hot > enough to use. Also, there are embedding centers with heated forceps, > which I love . > Just remember to clean out the wells of the forceps warmers every day > to prevent cross contamination. Cotton applicator swabs work great for > this. And always keep a towel or gauze handy to wipe the tips of the > forceps between specimens. Forceps warmers unfortunately don't incinerate > any stray tissue like a Bunsen burner did. > > Sincerely, > > Jay A. Lundgren, M.S., HTL (ASCP) > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Histonet mailing list > Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu > http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is > for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential > and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or > distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please > contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original > message. > > _______________________________________________ > Histonet mailing list > Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu > http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet > > _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet