The pipettes I worked with in school 30 years ago were effectively glass straws with a mark for the designated volume. One dipped it in the solution over the m

The pipettes I worked with in school 30 years ago were effectively glass straws with a mark for the designated volume. One dipped it in the solution over the mark, used the thumb to seal it, and then carefully let tiny amounts of air in to drop the bottom of the miniscus down to the line. It was terrible and nothing ever worked and my thumbs hurt.