Harry wrote:
> I will probably buy him a complete set of slides to look at once I get a
> microscope. From this link http://www.microscopestore.com/browse.asp?c=22> They have pretty good collection of pre-prepared slides for sale. Is it a
> good starting collection for him?
Since they don't give any specifics about what is in the slide set, other than
"Botany", "Zoology", "Human Histology" , or "Human Glands",there really isn't
any way to tell whether the sets are good or not. If you are determined to buy
prepared slides, I would suggest, as others have, that you look at the Edmund
Scientific catalog or the Carolina Biological Supply catalog (Carolina has
almost 100 pages of prepared slides listed). In each case, the catalogs give
specific descriptions of the slides included in sets, which run about the same
price as the undescribed sets you are considering, and one can buy individual
slides of specific subjects.
Having said all the above, however, I really agree with the point made by other
posters that there really isn't a lot of need to buy prepared slides in the
first place. Your children, and you, will have much more fun making their own
slides of things that interest them. Having made a slide of something and
looked at it, the cover glass can be removed (if a wet mount was made) and the
slide and cover glass can be washed and re-used; you cannot do that with
prepared slides since the cover glass will be permanently affixed to the slide.
--
Larry D. Farrell, Ph.D.
Professor of Microbiology
Idaho State University
