Journal of 



Applied Microscopy. 



Volume I. 



APRIL, 1898. 



Number 4 



The Rosanilin Dyes — Their Relation to Microscopy. 



V. A. LATHAM, M. D., D. D. S. 



The subject of microscopic reagents, 

 as used in our various laboratories, is one 

 of great importance, but as yet sadly 

 neglected; possibly for the following 

 reasons: 



(a) Many teachers avoid coloring pro- 

 cesses as much as possible. 



(b) Others use a few simple dyes, as 

 logwood, carmine, etc. 



(c) The average student, who uses the 

 common reagents supplied by the labor- 

 atory, thinks it unnecessary to learn 

 more than the label supplies, not being 

 aware there may be more than one 

 variety of the dye. 



(d) The teacher often depends on some 

 one firm to fill his orders, and trusts 

 to their securing the article named as 

 being suited to his work, or perhaps the 

 belief that the title "magenta" is suffi- 

 cient, there being only one variety, and 

 that suited to all the reactions he wants. 



(e) The microscopic dealers depend on 

 the chemical firms to supply the correct 

 article, and as they are unfamiliar with 

 the special research, the dye is a failure. 



(f) The manufacturing firm usually 

 aims only to secure the correct color or 

 reaction suited to the textile dyeing 

 work, and as the profit comes from this 

 industry, the microscopist is left out in 

 the cold. 



(g) The chemist sometimes cannot 

 give the equation of the formula, as the 

 coal-tar group is so intermixed and 

 varied. 



(h) The various synonyms, author's 

 names, and modifications all tend to 

 great confusion, and it is the use of 

 these that should be prohibited as soon 

 as possible. 



Is the laboratory worker the only one 

 to blame? No, because he is often 

 unable to secure the correct name from 

 the dealers, as they do not always know 



it themselves. Again, we have small 

 stores which put up dyes to sell, obtain- 

 ing them from the local chemist, regard- 

 less of their intended use, and often the 

 seller knows nothing of the subject. 



The student must indicate the specific 

 line of work for which the reagent is 

 wanted, because sometimes one variety 

 of the dye has little or no aflfinity for the 

 cell structure. For example, safranin 

 of Bindschedler und Busch in Bale gives 

 a reaction in mucin cells, whilst safranin 

 O of Gruebler. does not; and again, 

 mucin in goblet cells of the small intes- 

 tine in man seldom if ever stains with 

 safranin. Similar trouble is also found 

 in using safranin in amyloid degenera- 

 tion work. Another chemical which is 

 in sad confusion is "magenta." Text- 

 books advise its use in yeast, blood, etc. 

 No special variety indicated! Let us 

 briefly note the synonyms of this dye. 

 One author says "magenta is fuchsin or 

 basic anilin fuchsin;" another, that 

 "magenta is rosanilin nitrate;" a third, 

 "magenta is acid fuchsin;" a text-book 

 of histology, "magenta (rosanilin 

 nitrate) is advised for staining blood 

 and axis cylinders." This is a point 

 gained as to variety, but one other text- 

 book says, "No other magenta but the 

 one known as rosanilin acetate will stain 

 blood corpuscles," and we are told it is 

 the same as rosein. Put these confiic- 

 tions before a student, and what will be 

 the result? Failure, loss of time, 

 expense, and much discouragement. Can 

 we not urge the chemists to label speci- 

 fically, giving the chemical name, deriv- 

 ation, and main value of the same? 

 Example, magneta or fuchsin, rosanilin 

 hydrochloride for tubercle. This briefly 

 indicates the common name, the 

 chemical name and its chief value. 



Fuchsin is the German name 

 magenta the English name for 

 rosanilin salts, the acetate being 

 common variety sold to the public. 



and 

 the 

 the 



For 



