[Nhcoll-l] Old slides

[Mariana Di Giacomo]

Hi Paul,

I worked on a microscope slides project at the Smithsonian NMNH in which I
looked at over 400k slides and did tests on mounting media, so I can help
with many of your questions.
We can chat more on the side about specifics if you want, just email me.

Basically, as long as slides are horizontal, they will survive better (if
you have them in slide boxes, just store the boxes vertically).
For cleaning, start with brushes and cosmetic sponges (I like these but
there are other places to buy them as well:
https://www.universityproducts.com/latex-free-hydrophilic-sponges.html). If
dust and grime are stubborn, you can use a cotton swab with deionized
water, but you must blot the swab first so it is barely moist and not
soaking wet; and avoid touching any paper labels.
About the mounting media, some of them are easier to remount than others,
but that is on a case-by-case basis because people have used everything you
can think of to mount slides, so if you send me some pictures, I can try to
identify them and give you some suggestions.

Best,
Mariana

*Mariana Di Giacomo, PhD*
*Natural History Conservator, Yale Peabody Museum*
Associate Editor, Collection Forum, SPNHC
Secretary/Communications APOYOnline



El mar, 1 jun 2021 a las 12:29, John E Simmons (<simmons.johne at gmail.com>)
escribió:

> Paul,
> A couple references on this topic that I have found very useful
> (particularly Neuhaus et al):
>
> Moore, S. J. 1979. Restoration of the Quekett Microscope Slide Collection.
> *Microscopy* 33:489-494.
>
>
>
> Neuhaus, B., T. Schmid, and J. Riedel. 2017. Collection management and
> study of microscope slides: storage, profiling, deterioration, restoration
> procedures, and general recommendations. *Zootaxa* 4322(1):1-173.
>
>
> --John
>
> John E. Simmons
> Writer and Museum Consultant
> Museologica
> *and*
> Associate Curator of Collections
> Earth and Mineral Science Museum & Art Gallery
> Penn State University
> *and*
> Investigador Asociado, Departamento de Ornitologia
> Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima
>
>
> On Tue, Jun 1, 2021 at 12:22 PM Callomon,Paul <prc44 at drexel.edu> wrote:
>
>> Folks,
>>
>>
>>
>> Can anyone recommend how-to guides to assessing and triaging antique
>> microscope slides? I have a ton of them to deal with right now. I need to
>> know how best to clean and store them, how to revive (if possible) hardened
>> fixatives, etc. These are mostly polychaete and other worm samples,
>> including sections and jaw parts, and are anything from 50 to 140 years old.
>>
>>
>>
>> Paul Callomon
>>
>> Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> *Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University*
>>
>> 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia PA 19103-1195, USA
>> *prc44 at drexel.edu <prc44 at drexel.edu> Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170*
>>
>>
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