ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 381 



day, after which they are thoroughly washed in distilled water, and then 

 passed through upgraded alcohols to dehydration. Then xylol, paraffin, 

 sectioning, and mounting in Dammar. The author found Dammar was 

 preferable to balsam, as it did not become yellow after lapse of time. 



Studying the Life-history of Adelea ovata.* — C. C. Dobell 

 obtained the best results by adopting Schaudinn's methods. The entire 

 gut was removed, and the epithelial cells and the entire gut contents 

 spread out upon a cover-slip. The films thus obtained were instantly 

 fixed by immersion in hot sublimate-alcohol containing a trace of acetic 

 acid. After fixation the films were treated with iodin-alcohol, and 

 stained in Biitschli's modification of Delafield's hematoxylin. This is 

 prepared by adding 1 p.c. acetic acid to a • 5 p.c. Delafield's hsematoxyHn 

 in water until a pink colour is produced. 



Staining for all stages, except spores, is complete in from 15-30 

 hours. Griemsa's stain was not satisfactory. Cross-sections of the gut 

 were unsatisfactory. Moist films were more useful for examining the 

 coccidia. 



Studying Spermatogenesis of Myriapods. — M.W. Blackmanf found 

 that for fixing the spermatocytes of Lithobius, the best reagent was 

 Gilson's nitric-acetic-sublimate mixture. The most satisfactory staining 

 results were obtained with Heidenhain's htematoxylin, used either 

 alone or with Congo-red as a counter-stain. For micro-chemical tests 

 Flemming's three-colour stain and the Ehrlich-Biondi mixture was used, 

 the results obtained with the latter being especially satisfactory. 



f4) staining- and Injecting. 



Criticisms of the so-called Syphilitic Spirochsete. — Th. Saling| 

 insists on the nerve-end nature of the " pallida " and " silver " spirillae. 

 The finding of these in the lumen of the blood-vessels he regards as 

 artificial and accidental, and he refers to their rarity in those tissues in 

 which nerve-endings are scarce. He gives photographs of silver 

 spirillte seen in the stomach- wall of a healthy rabbit, which may readily 

 be mistaken for spirochetes ; here elastic fibres are common and nerve- 

 fibres less so. In a photograph of healthy rabbit pancreas spirochetal 

 forms are shown that are probably nerve-fibrillae. From a diagnostic 

 point of view, the author refers to the fact that in recent syphilis 

 " pallide " can be found only in 39 ■ 6 p.c. of the cases ; and often these 

 are confused with SpirochMa refringens ; severe cases of syphilis are 

 reported in which no " palUde " could be demonstrated, and cases of 

 not acknowledged syphilis where " pallide " were found. 



Reply to SaUng's Criticism of the ^^ Pallida.'' — M. Wolff § charges 

 Baling with stating a hasty opinion from ill-prepared specimens, and 

 challenges him to demonstrate his spirochaetal-like nerve-fibrille in 

 section of skin of a non-syphilitic animal. The author further con- 

 siders that Baling does not show by his figures that he has made any real 

 nerve impregnation. 



* 



Proc. Roy. Soc, Series B, Ixxix. (1906) pp. 155-63 (2 pis.). 

 + Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts and Sci., xlii. (1907) pp. 489-518 (2 pis.). 

 X Centralbl. Bakt., Ite Abt. Orig., xliii. (1907) p. 362. 

 § Tom. cit., p. 222. 



