v»84 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



section Btage, than in bulk. The sections are left for 20-25 minutes 

 in iodo-potassic iodide solution (Mayer's formula), diluted with distilled 

 water to a wine-colour or in 7<> p.c. alcohol mixed with the same 

 iodine solution. On removal the sections are washed in .alcohol to 

 remove the iodine, and, in ease they remain yellow, they are treated 

 with magnesium water. 



(4) Staining: and Injecting. 



Method of Differentiating the Cortical from the Medullary Portions 

 of Adrenals.* — 0. V. Sdrinko fixes the adrenals of man and other 

 mammals in 4-5 p.c. formalin (commercial formalin, 5 parts ; distilled 

 water, 1)5 parts'). The solution is renewed every two days for a week to 

 a fortnight. The material is then washed for about half an hour in 

 -distilled water, and after treatment with 70 and 90 p.c. alcohol, is 

 imbedded in celloidin or paraffin. The celloidin sections are stained 

 with equal parts of ripe Bohmer's hasniatoxylin and distilled water for 

 about five minutes. They are then washed and mounted, or they may be 

 •contrast-stained with eosin. By this method the medullary portion is 

 stained much darker than the cortical, and removes any difficulty of 

 distinguishing between the cells of the two parts. 



Fugent : a New Stain.! — F. H. Joseph communicated a note on 

 the above at the January meeting of the Pathological Society. The 

 stain consisted of a mixture of alcoholic solutions of methylen-blue, 

 f uchsin, and gentian-violet. The following formula was arrived at after 

 many trials : — (1) Methylen-blue, saturated alcoholic solution, 4 parts ; 

 (2) basic fuchsin, saturated alcoholic solution, 3 parts ; (3) gentian- 

 violet, saturated alcoholic solution, 5 parts. The mixture is allowed to 

 stand for from three weeks to a month. One part of the stain is diluted 

 with 2 parts of distilled water, and allowed to remain on the dried cover- 

 slip for 45 seconds, washed in water, dried, and mounted. Bacteria 

 appear of a deep red colour, whilst the capsules are of a light violet tint. 



Staining Arteries.}— T. B. Savill recommends acid orcein for 

 staining sections of arteries. The solution gave better results after fix- 

 ation with alcohol than with bichromate or other fluids. The mixture 

 consists of neutral orcein, 2 grm. ; hydrochloric acid, 2 c.cm. ; alcohol 

 (70 p.c), 96 c.cm. The sections are removed from 60 p.c. alcohol, and 

 immersed in the filtered stain for 4 or 5 minutes. After washing in 

 weak spirit, the sections are dehydrated in absolute alcohol and mounted 

 in balsam. 



Demonstrating the Finer Structure of the Nervous System. § — 

 E. S. London adopted the following procedure for studying the finer 

 nerve-structures of the leech, white mice, and dogs. Pieces were placed 

 in ammoniated alcohol (4 c.cm. ammonia in 96 p.c. alcohol). After 24 

 hours the pieces were cut up into slices 2-3 mm. thick, and placed in 



* Anat. Anzeig., xxvi. (1905) pp. 172-4 (1 fig.). 



t Brit. Med. Journ., 1905, i. p. 13G. 



1 Trans. Path. Soc, lv. (1904) p. 412. 



§ Archiv Mikrosk. Anat., lxvi. (1905) pp. 111-15 (1 pi.). 



