258 THE AMEKICAN MONTHLY [Ang 



agent has suceeded in so reducing- the color as to show the 

 natural coloring- of such algae in lantern slides, instead of 

 exhibiting only the ordinary dark shadows. 



Killing and Preserving Marine Animals. — The addition 

 of a small quantity of menthol to the sea-water in which 

 marine animals are kept, causes them to expand fully. 

 They can then be preserved permanently in a four per cent 

 formalin solution. By this method he has preserved 

 Synapta and several species of sea anemones. He also 

 suggests the use of dilute glycerine for killing some ani- 

 mals. Afterwards he removes this by water, and subse- 

 quently mounts in Canada Balsam. By this means he has 

 been able to mount certain worms, so as to show the min- 

 ute blood-vessels filled with the natural red blood. 



Yellow Fever Germ. — It is now conceded that Giuseppe 

 Sanarelli of Montevideo, Uruguay is the discoverer of the 

 specific germ of yellow fever. Dr. H. D. Geddings' of 

 the Marine Hospital Corps has investigated in New Or- 

 leans and Havana and will report the Bacillus icteroidesto 

 be the germ. Sanarelli's serum was presented to theU. S. 

 government two years ago and it has been tested in the 

 South but not found to be of sufficientstrength. This how- 

 ever, will be corrected. 



Staining the Capsules of the Pneumococcus and the 

 Bacillus Friedlaender.— (Lond. Lancet, 1898, II., p. 1262). 

 The following combination gives a clear image, which pho- 

 tographs well : Dahlia, 0.5 gram ; Methyl green (00 cryst.) 

 1.5 gram ; Fuchsin, (sat. ale. sol.) 10 cc ; Distilled water, 

 200 cc. Rub up the dahlia and the methyl green in a mor- 

 tar with part of the water until dissolved, then add the 

 fuchsin, and finally the rest of the water. Prepare the 

 film in the usual way. Flood the cover-slip (or slide) with 

 the stain, and hold over the flame until steam begins to rise. 

 Then place aside for about five minutes, wash in water, 

 dry, and mount in xylol balsam. Treatment of the film 

 with acetic acid does not lead to good results. The above 

 is a good stain, and gives good results with the bacillus 

 typhi abdominalis, bacillus coli communis, and especially 

 with the Klebs-Loeffler bacillus. 



