ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY. ETC. 715 



other side ground until the desired thickness is nearly reached. The 

 section is then removed and finished off on an oilstone or hone, and 

 finally mounted in thick balsam. 



Neurological Technique.* — A monograph containing the approved 

 methods of examining nervous tissue has long been a desideratum. This 

 want has been supplied by Irving Hardesty, whose work entitled 

 Neurological Technique will be found of the greatest service by those 

 who are engaged in studying or in teaching the histology of the nervous 

 system. The sub-title (Some special histological methods employed for 

 the study of the nervous system, together with a laboratory outline for 

 the dissection of the central nervous system and the neurological 

 nomenclature (BNA) arranged in a classified list) more closely indicates 

 the general scope of this useful work. 



The first part of the work deals with general considerations as to 

 the need and action of reagents, and with general instructions in pro- 

 cedure. Then come fifteen methods for demonstrating the histological 

 appearances of the central nervous system. These are followed by two 

 methods for museum preparations, after which is a chapter on the fixa- 

 tion and preservation of human embryos and foetuses. The last two 

 chapters deal with the application of formalin and with the dissection 

 of the central nervous system. There is an adequate index. 



(3) Cutting-, including' Imbedding and Microtomes. 



Marble Blocks for Celloidin Tissues.f — E. C. Streeter recommends 

 marble blocks instead of wood or cork for celloidin masses. He has 

 given them a year's trial and is satisfied that they are very advan- 

 tageous. 

 Slonaker, J. R— An Attachment to the Minot Microtome for catting Sections 



of 1 micron thickness. Journ. App. Micr., V. (1902) pp. 1994.-6 (4 figs.). 



(4) Staining and Injecting. 



Rapid Method of Staining the Morphotic Elements of Blood.|— 

 Marino uses two solutions :— (i.) A saturated solution of acid fuchsin ; 

 (ii.) Brilliant kresyl-blue 1 to 1000-4000 water, or kresyl-blue 1, abso- 

 lute alcohol 200. The preparations are stained for one minute in the 

 acid-fuchsin solution, and then having been washed with water are 

 treated for 15-20 minutes with the kresyl-blue. 



Staining Axis-Cylinders of Fresh Spinal Cord.§ — H. L. Osborn 

 finds that spinal cord may be stained sufficiently well for demonstration 

 purposes by placing a small piece in 30 p.c. alcohol and incubating at 

 56° for six hours. Small pieces are teased out in distilled water on a 

 slide and irrigated with an aqueous solution of acid-violet. 



New Alcoholic Carmin Solution.||— N. Loewenthal prepares a car- 

 min solution in the following way. The first step is to make a sodium 



* University of Chicago Press, Chicago, and Wesley and Son, London, 1902, xii. 

 and 188 pp. and 4 figs. t Journ. App. Micr., v. (1902) p. 1970. 



X C.R. Soc. Biol, de Paris, liv. (1902) p. 457. 

 § Journ. App. Micr., v. (1902) p. 1987 <1 fig.). 

 II Zeitschr. wiss. Mikr., xix. C1902) pp. 56-GO. 



