Ultramicrotome and attachment therefore

An ultramicrotome for preparing sections for electron microscope analysis, comprising:

• chuck means for holding a specimen which is to be sectioned,
• stationary knife assembly means for cutting said specimen, said knife assembly means including a knife boat for holding a quantity of fluid and a knife held by said knife boat, said knife defining one side of said knife boat,
• means for moving said chuck means, and said specimen held thereby, into contact with said knife such that sections are cut from said specimen and floated onto the surface of the fluid held in said knife boat, and
• radioactive means mounted on said ultramicrotome for discharging static electric charge which may have accumulated on said chuck means, the specimen, and said knife assembly means, whereby the static electric attractive force on the fluid held in said knife boat is reduced and the fluid prevented from migrating over said knife as said chuck means approaches said knife.