116 Tue MicroscoPe. 
prepared as follows—carbolic acid, m. xv; distilled water, f. 3 ss; 
dissolve, and add saturated alcoholic solution of fuchsin, f. 3 ss 
—are placed upon the sputum thus prepared, and allowed to 
remain from three to five minutes. The slide is now washed 
thoroughly with distilled water, to remove the excess of fuchsin, 
and the stained sputum completely decolorized by means of a 
saturated solution of oxalic acid. It is again thoroughly washed 
in the distilled water after the decolorization, and allowed to 
dry. Itis now ready to be mounted in glycerin or balsam for 
examination. With a power of five hundred or six hundred 
diameters, the bacilli will appear as brilliant red rods, no 
staining of the background being necessary. 
In all other methods with which I am familiar, the decol- 
orizing agent employed is dilute nitric acid; but this, besides 
being disagreeable to handle because of its corrosive and 
staining properties, is apt to remove the color from the bacilli 
too, unless great care is taken. Oxalic acid, however, seems to 
leave the dye untouched in them. 
To render the process still clearer, the different steps may 
be arranged thus: 
1. Spread the sputum upon the slide, dry, and pass through 
the flame of the lamp. 
2. Stain with the fuchsin solution three to five minutes. 
A very beautiful slide of “‘pollen” has been received from 
Edward G. Day, of Riverside, Conn. 
On account of the illness of the writer, the third paper of 
the “ Studies in Histology ” is postponed until the June num- 
ber. 
“THe Microscope for April has an interesting article by E. 
S. Congdon, on Microscopy One Hundred and Fifty Years Ago.” 
—Indew. 
A very unique slide of five amphipleure pellucide,arranged 
in line, and obtained from different localities, is the gift. of W. 
A. Clapp, New Albany, Ind. It is handsomely done. 
