Click on the black STOP square, to the left just below the picture, and then click the arrow to start,
when YOU are ready to begin.
At any time during the presentation, click on the black double lines to pause the animation,
then click the arrow to restart.
Place a small drop of blood close to the frosted end of a clean slide that is on a flat surface. For this lab, you will fill a
capillary tube at least two-thirds with blood from the heparinized tube. Touch the end of the capillary to
the slide and release a small spot of blood, less than a full, rounded drop.
With the thumb and forefinger of the right hand, hold the end of a second slide (the "spreader") against the surface of the first slide
at an angle of 30-45 degrees. Slowly back the spreader into the blood drop.
An alternate position is to rest the slide on the forefinger of the left hand, creating an angle that may
make it easier to maintain constant speed when pushing the spreader slide forward.
Draw the spreader back to contact the drop of blood, allowing the blood to pool at the angle between the two slides.
Gently push the spreader slide at a moderate speed forward, spreading the drop of blood out into a thin film.
The end of the smear (the feathered edge) should be smooth and even.
Note: In a good film, there is a thick portion where the original drop spreads out (near the white, frosted end) and a thin portion that disappears
into a feathered edge (on the left in the "good slide" picture at the end of the movie; the feathered edge is at the top in the cartoon). There should be a gradual transition from thick to thin sections of the smear. The smear should have a smooth, even appearance and
should not have either thick sposts or holes. You should see a faint rainbow of color near the feathered edge.
