SECTION TWO 



HAEMATOXYLIN - PICRO PONCEAU S 



A selective stain for collagen and connective tissue in place 



of Haematoxylin - Van Gieson 



Solutions required: 



A. Haematoxylin (Heidenhain or Ehrlich). 



B. Picro Ponceau S {Curtis): 



Ponceau S i% aqueous . . . . lo ml. 



Picric acid i% aqueous . . . . 86 ml. 



Acetic acid i% aqueous . . . . 4 ml. 



Technique: 



Proceed exactly as for Haematoxylin (Ehrlich) - Van Gieson or 

 Haematoxylin (Heidenhain) - Van Gieson (pages 127-128). 



Results: 



Identical with Haematoxylin - Van Gieson. 



Note: Unlike Van Gieson, Picro Ponceau does not fade when 

 mounted in Canada balsam: but Van Gieson does not fade when 

 mounted in D.P.X. or Clearmount or Cristalite. 



HAEMATOXYLIN (Weigert) - PONCEAU FUCHSIN (Curtis) 



Note: The chief advantages of this method over numerous other 

 trichrome techniques, is its simplicity and reliability and the fact that 

 it works well after any fixative. The disadvantage is that cytoplasmic 

 details are not as clearly revealed as after such stains as Masson or 

 Mallory. 



Solutions required: 



A. Weigert's Haematoxylin, A 



B. Weigert's Haematoxylin, B 



C. Curtis Stain: 



Ponceau S, 2% aqueous . . • • 5 ml. 



Picric acid, saturated, aqueous . . 95 ml. 

 Acetic acid 2% . . . . . . 2 ml. 



Technique : 



1 . Fix material with any desired fixative, embed and section as 

 usual. 



2. Fix sections to slides and take down to 70% alcohol as usual. 



3. If the fixative contains a salt of mercury, remove mercurial 

 precipitate in the usual way. 



123 • 



