182 CURRENT NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 



hours to take the colour, and should generally be allowed to 

 remain twenty-four hours." — P. 52. 



Burrill on Staining Bacilli.— Dr. S. J. Burrill (New York 

 Medical Record) recommends the following method of staining 

 Bacilli: — Take glycerine, 20 parts; fuchsia, 3 parts ; aniline oil, 2 

 parts ; carbolic acid, 2 parts. Make a solution, and keep for use. 

 When required, put about two drops in a watch-glass (a small 

 pomatum-pot is better), full of water, and gently shake or stir. 

 Put in the smeared cover-glass, after passing it a few times through 

 a flame, and leave it at the ordinary temperature of a comfortable 

 room for half-an-hour. If quicker results be desired, boil a little 

 water in a test-tube, add double the above quantity of staining 

 solution, shake it gently till dissolved, then pour into a convenient 

 dish, and put in the cover-glass. Staining will be effected in about 

 two minutes. The preparation is decolorised in the usual way by 

 nitric-acid solution, one in four, in which it is left about a minute, 

 then dried, and mounted in Canada Balsam. 



London Medical Record^ Feb., 1884, p. 73. 



We are requested to insert the following queries, and shall be 

 glad of replies : — 



What is the effect of acetic acid upon chitine ? — E.T.S. 



If acedc acid be used in the preparation of specimens for 

 mounting, where is it to be placed in the formula for mounting ? — 

 E.T.S. 



Would some members of the P. M.S., or reader of this Journal, 

 give their ideas upon Development, Introduction of New Species 

 or Genera, and Alteration or Change in estabHshed Species ? 



Development necessarily implies improvement in some particu- 

 lar ; and this, though there may be at the same time a degenera- 

 tion ; thus, it is correct to say that there is a development in some 

 muscles of the Quadrumana as compared with the corresponding 

 muscles in man, though the species is of an inferior type. I do 

 not know if there is any well-authenticated instance of the 

 introduction of a new genus, while there are many instances of 

 the gradual formation of a new species : but I should like very 

 much to know if there has been any introduction of a new species, 

 which has not really been arrived at by alteration or modification 

 in an old-established species, when subjected to altered conditions 

 of existence. — Enquirer. 



Answers to the above queries, if found suitable, will be 

 inserted in our next. 



