Cooling plate (10) for laboratory purposes having an essentially planar plate section (34), on which, for example, previously dehydrated tissue samples impregnated with heated liquid paraffin can be cooled for the purpose of preparing microtome sections. The planar plate section can be cooled by a coolant which is circulated from a refrigeration unit (16, 18, 20, 30, 32) and back again. A closed peripheral wall (36) of relatively low height projects upwards from the edge of the plate section (34) so that cooled air on the plate surface cannot flow off at the sides over the plate edge. The line conducting the coolant from the refrigeration unit is additionally in heat-exchange contact with the peripheral wall (36). <IMAGE>
