324 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [Nov., 



and axis cylinders also acquire the stain. Sections must be 

 very thin. More recently Kultschitzky has used the following 

 stain : alcohol 96 per cent. 100 parts, the above mentioned rubin 

 solution 3 to 5 c. cm. With this the staining process is much 

 lengthened (half hour or more), but sections are less apt to break 

 up. 



BACTERIOLOGY. 



New Multiple Staining Fluid. — Dr. P. G. Unna differen- 

 tiates bacilli in ti[^sues by a polychromic methylene blue solu- 

 tion, which contains methylene red and violet, in addition to 

 the blue. The sections are transferred from alcohol and allowed 

 to remain in the stain for at least ten minutes. They are then 

 passed through water into 33 per cent, tannic acid solution to 

 decolorize, allowed to remain from two to five minutes, then 

 rinsed with water to enable the exact tint to be observed more 

 readily. If satisfactory, after a thorough washing with water 

 the sections are placed in absolute alcohol, or a solution of gold 

 orange in the same if a yellow counter stain be desired, cleared 

 in oil of bergamot, and mounted in balsam. If the excess of 

 stain is not readily removed, a few minutes immersion in 25 per 

 cent nitric acid, followed by dilute spirit, water, and absolute 

 alcohol, respectively, will effect its removal. By adopting this 

 method it is said to be possible to distinguish two kinds of nu- 

 clei (violet and blue), the fibrin, and the protoplasm of the 

 plasma-cells. The bacilli stain red whilst the mucus surround- 

 ing them is blue, and the organisms are said to appear in their 

 natural character " in fish-roe like masses of vegetable mucus." 

 It is claimed that the process is particularly suitable for use in 

 the study of leprosy. It appears to depend upon the property, 

 also utilized by ISJicolle, by which tannin converts methylene 

 blue into an insoluble form. — Druggists^ Circular and Chemical 

 Gazette. 



MEDICAL MICROSCOPY. 



Trichinoisis in Belgium. — In one town, 13 persons out of 

 39 affected, recently, died. Lard was found to contain enor- 



