STAINING, PRACTICAL AND THEORETICAL 



publication had failed to stain the nervous system selectively, as 

 far as he was aware. 



(b) The planarian material stained in toto by the author was 

 Planaria mtta, while that for sections was Dugesia gonocephala. 



(c) The method is also applicable for tissues of higher animals 

 if the concentrations of the copper sulphate and silver nitrate 

 solutions are reduced. The optimum concentration for these two 

 solutions must be determined by experiment in each case. 



(d) For more detailed information, including photomicrographs, 

 the original paper should be consulted. 



Reference: Betchaku, T. (i960). 



SODIUM VANBLLIDENMALONATE 



A simple and rapid method for staining neurological 



tissues 



Solutions required: 



A. Sodium vanillidenmalonate . . i gm. 

 Distilled water . . . . . . 100 ml. 



B. Potassium permanganate . . 3 gm. 

 Distilled water . . . . • • 30 ml. 



C. Tannic acid, 1% in 95% alcohol 



D. Formic acid, 25% 



Technique: 



1. Fix material in 10% formalin; embed in paraffin wax, and 

 cut sections 5 to lo/x in thickness. 



2. Fix sections to slides; dewax with xylol, and pass through 

 the usual descending grades of alcohol to distilled water. 



3. Immerse in solution A for one minute. 



4. Without rinsing, transfer the slides to solution B and leave 

 therein for three minutes. 



5. Rinse in distilled water. 



420 



