534 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



2. Nitro-cochineal : Cochineal 4 grm. ; aluminium nitrate 4 grm. ; 

 distilled water 100 c.cm. ; glycerin 100 c.cm. The powdered cochineal 

 is added to the solution of aluminium nitrate, and the mixture is then 

 heated on a sand-bath and allowed to boil for 5 minutes. When cold, the 

 glycerin is added. The staining results are very permanent. 



3. Cobalt-cochineal : Cochineal 4 grm. ; cobalt-ammonium sulphate 

 4 grm. ; distilled water 100 c.cm. ; glycerin 100 c.cm. This solution is 

 prepared on exactly similar lines to the foregoing. It keeps well. 



4. Acid-alizarin blue B.B. Hochst : Acid-alizarin blue B.B. 1 grm. ; 

 aluminium-ammonium sulphate 10 grm. ; distilled water 100 c.cm. ; 

 glycerin 100 c.cm. The pigment and the alum are dissolved in the 

 water, and then heated on a sand-bath to boiling. The solution is 

 allowed to cool slowly, and then the glycerin is added. It may be used 

 after any fixative except Flemming. Sections are stained in the strong 

 solution for ^ to 2 minutes, and may then be mounted after washing in 

 distilled water ; but it is better to counterstain with picric-acid-fuchsin 

 mixture. 



5. Acid-alizarin green G- Hochst : Acid-alizarin green G 1 grm. ; 

 aluminium-ammonium sulphate 10 grm. : distilled water 100 c.cm. : 

 glycerin 100 c.cm. Prepared in similar way to foregoing. Sections are 

 stained for | to 2 minutes, washed in distilled water, and then counter- 

 stained with Van Gieson. 



Permanence of Microscopic Preparations.* — M. Heidenhain states 

 that sublimate-fixed objects which are treated with iodine do not keep 

 well, but if de-iodised with sodium thiosulphate the iodine is completely 

 removed. A 2*5 aqueous solution is diluted 10 times with water, and 

 the yellow sections are completely bleached by its use in a few minutes. 

 The author also alludes to the advisability of using neutral balsam, large 

 cover-glasses, and as little balsam as possible. 



(6) Miscellaneous. 



Use of Atropin Sulphate for Anaesthetising Birds.t — R. Pearl and 

 F. M. Surface find the following procedure most useful for anaesthetising 

 birds for surgical operations. Immediately before beginning the admin- 

 istration of the anaesthetic (ether) a ^^-grain atropin sulphate tablet 

 is dissolved in 1 c.cm. of warm normal saline solution, and is then injected 

 subcutaneously into the axillary region. The anaesthetic is at once 

 proceeded with and is administered from a mask, which permits the 

 condition of the comb being seen during the operation. The bird is 

 ready for operation in from 15-20 minutes after the anaesthetic has 

 begun to be administered. 



Detection of Spirochseta pallida. j — A. C. Coles states that he has 

 found the most certain and easiest method of detecting Spirochasta 

 pallida is by the examination of cover-glass preparations made from 

 the serum by means of dark-ground illumination. Examined by this 



* Zeitschr. wiss. Mikrosk., xxv. (1909) pp. 397-400. 

 t Journ. Amer. Med. Assoc, lii. (1909) pp. 3S2-3. 

 % Brit. Med. Journ. (1909) i. pp. 1117-20. 



