618 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Studying the Epididymis.* — R. Ikeda followed the method re- 

 commended by Benda for examining the minute structure of the 

 epididymis of man. (1) Fresh material was fixed for 2 days in 93 p.c. 

 alcohol, to which 10 parts of formalin were added. (2) The material was 

 next hydrated with dilute nitric acid (1 vol. officinal nitric acid to 

 10 vol. tap-water), 24 hours. (3) 24 hours in 2 p.c. potassium bi- 

 chromate. (4) 48 hours in 1 p.c. chromic acid. (5) 24 hours washing 

 in water. (6) Hardening in upgraded alcohols. (7) When the pieces 

 are removed from absolute alcohol they should be placed in a mixture of 

 equal parts of absolute alcohol and creosote before being saturated with 

 paraffin. 



The sections, which were not more than 5 [x thick, were stained by 

 three different methods. 



A. Modified Weigert's (Ilia-staining : (1) The sections were treated 

 for 5 minutes with 0*5 p.c. potassium permanganate, followed by 



(2) Pal's reducer, sodium sulphite and oxalic acid, for about 3 minutes. 



(3) After drying with blotting-paper the section surface was flooded with 

 Weigert's methyl-violet-oxalic-acid solution, or with Benda's crystal- 

 violet-anilin-water mixture (1 vol. crystal-violet in 70 p.c. alcohol, 1 vol. 

 10 p.c. hydrochloric-acid-alcohol, and 2 vol. anilin-water). (4) Mop 

 again with blotting-paper, and flood with Lugol's solution for about 

 1 minute. (5) Wash with water, differentiate with anilin-oil-xylol until 

 no more colour is given off. (6) Dry ; flood with xylol several times, 

 and mount in balsam. 



B. Iron-hEeniatoxylin method : (1) The sections are mordanted for 

 24 hours with 4 p.c. iron-alum solution, or with liq. ferri sulph. oxydat. 

 diluted with 2 vol. distilled water. (2) Washed in running water. (3) 

 Stained for 24 hours in dark-yellow aqueous hgematoxylin solution, 

 made by dropping strong alcoholic heematoxylin solution into water. 



(4) Washed in tap-water for \ hour. (5) Differentiated with Weigert's 

 borax-ferricyanide solution, until the sections are yellowish-grey. (6) 

 Washed ; dehydrated ; mounted in balsam. 



C. Alizarin staining : (1) Mordant for 24 hours with 4 p.c. iron- 

 alum solution. (2) Wash in running water. (3) Stain for 24 hours 

 in dilute amber-yellow solution of sulphalizarinate of sodium. (4) Wash, 

 and mop up with blotting-paper. (5) Stain in • 1 p.c. aqueous solution 

 of toluidin-blue for 24 hours in cold solution, or for 15 minutes if 

 heated to vaporisation. (6) Treat with 1 p.c. acetic acid. (7) Dry 

 with blotting-paper, and flood with absolute alcohol. (8) Differentiate 

 with creosote, examining under low power, until connective-tissue is red 

 and the cell-nuclei blue. (9) Dry with blotting-paper ; treat several 

 times with xylol, and then mount in balsam. 



Demonstrating the Embryology of Amentiferae.t — Margaret Benson, 

 Elizabeth Sanday, and Emily Berridge, found that the fertilisation 

 process took place chiefly between July 6 and July 10. The fixatives 

 used were absolute alcohol and Flemming's strong and weak fluids. 

 The ovaries were dissected immediately on gathering, the ovary wall 

 being removed as far as possible so as to expose fully the ovules to the 



* Anat. Anzeig., xxix. (1906) pp. 1-14 (1 pi. and 8 figs.), 

 t Trans. Linn. Soc. Bot.,vii. (1906) pp. 37-44 (1 pi.). 



