STAINING, PRACTICAL AND THEORETICAL 



may involve certain difficulties, and the new technique, described 

 above, using sodium thiosulphate (hyposulphite) in place of 

 Rongalite, was developed by them in the belief that the rapid and 

 differential staining of normal and malignant cells and tissues 

 could be accomplished. The authors state that the procedure, 

 which they refer to for short as the " HLM " (hyposulphite leuco 

 methylene blue) method, may prove more than an aid in the 

 routine histopathological practice, especially for the diagnosis of 

 malignant cells in exudates and punctate, and it may become a 

 useful tool for studying the properties of malignant and benign 

 tumours, in precancerous states, etc. 



(b) It is also stated in the original paper, to which readers are 

 referred for further information, that the value of the method has 

 been checked on extensive material at the Moscow Oncological 

 Institute. 



(c) The authors claim that with proper observance of the 

 directions described above that the difference between malignant 

 and normal tissue can also be observed macroscopically, normal 

 tissue appearing blue, and malignant, red. 



References : 



Roskin, G. I. & Struve, M. F. (1947). 

 Unna, P. G. (191 1). 



METHYLENE BLUE POLYCHROME 



(After Unna) 



For mast cells in sections 



Solution required: 



Methylene blue, polychrome 



(Unna) . . . . . . 100 ml. 



Potash alum . . . . • • 5 gm. 



Technique: 



1. Material is fixed in absolute alcohol and embedded in 

 Celloidin. 



2. Stain sections in a watch glass from three to sixteen hours in 

 the methylene blue solution. 



3. Rinse well in distilled water. 



^ . 306 



