Interesting Sakura says that, because I did a whole lot of Bouins fixed
tissues, whole projects at cassette capacity for the instrument, without
any damage to my machine. and I was never told not to use my VIP this way,
but then I have had this machine for YEARS and maybe before they started
saying Bouins was a no no! 

However, I was careful to change out my 70% alcohols, had an extra station
of that on machine  or 70% X 2 changes, and made sure I did rotate out any
alcohols that looked yellow even though it was still detectable in some of
the upper alcohols.  These changes were done daily, so I may have spent a
bit more time and money getting rid of contaminated alcohols, which may
have been the factor saving the VIP.  It still purrs along, without a hitch.

Final removal of picric acid was done with a tap water rinse (the old way
of doing it, or the way I learned years ago)after hydrating slides and
BEFORE going 
going into any stains.  Rinse takes only a few minutes, 2 or so.  


Gayle Callis
Veterinary Molecular Biology
Montana State University
Bozeman MT 59717-3610
406 994-4705
406 994-4303