408 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VoL VIII. 
Results quite similar to those obtained with Scarlet Red were 
obtained also with another fat staining reagent. J. Lorrain Smith? 
after a somewhat extensive study of the action of the different basic 
dyes, including Methyl Violet, on fatty acids and numerous fatty 
compounds, concluded that the reaction between the fat and the dye 
which he obtained was due to the formation of a colored soap. In 
that case Methyl Violet should demonstrate in muscle tissue the same 
distributiou of fat as was observed when Scarlet Red was used and 
to test this a number of experimental observations were made. Part of 
the muscle tissue, which had been previously fixed in 4 per cent. forma- 
lin or § per cent. chloral hydrate solution, and from which fibres treated 
with Scarlet Red gave characteristic results as described in the fore- 
going pages, was stained in Methyl Violet. The result was in every 
way comparable to that obtained with the Scarlet Red except that in 
these latter experiments the fats were colored violet instead of red. 
When tissue fixed in absolute alcohol was used, if the fibres were 
thoroughly separated a very faintly colored reaction resulted. 
It was further, found that if the fibres were left in ether for several 
days, (using a technique in every way similar to that already mentioned — 
in the Scarlet Red experiments with ether extraction) and then stained 
with the Methyl Violet, the fibrils where they had been sufficiently 
separated by teasing, shewed a pale mauve colour, barely perceptible 
in the striations. The Methyl Violet undoubtedly stained a substance 
with a distribution analogous to that which gave a reaction with the 
Scarlet Red and which further was soluble both in alcohol and ether. 
Whether other constituents of the muscle fibre which are soluble in 
ether stain with Methyl Violet cannot at present be determined. One 
compound, creatin, present in the dim bands is soluble in water and 
alcohol but is not soluble in ether and therefore it does not play a part 
in the fixation of the dye.” 
That Methyl Violet does stain fats very deeply was shown in 
the case of lecithin. When glass slides were smeared with a thin 
film of this fat, treatment for a few minutes with a solution of the 
dye gave an intensely deep violet coloration. When similar films 
were treated with solutions of Scarlet Red the resulting red stain 
was equally intense. With other fats, e.g., olive oil, the reactions were 
similar and as pronounced. 
