104: THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [May, 



A. Baranski uses picro-carmine for staining fresh preparations of acti- 

 nomyces bovis. A small amount of the contents of a yellow nodule or 

 pus from the part is spread in a thin layer on a cover-glass, and dried 

 in the air. The cover is then passed three times through the flame, 

 care being taken not to overheat the preparation. It is then floated in 

 the picro-carmine solution, or a few drops of the stain are placed on 

 the cover. In two or three minutes the staining is finished. The 

 cover is then carefully washed by agitating it in water or alcohol, and 

 examined in water or glycerine. The actinomyces takes a yellow color, 

 while the remaining structure appears red. In this way not only the acti- 

 nomyces tufts are easily distinguished, but single nodes which are found 

 scattered about in the preparation are sharply defined from the sur- 

 rounding red mass. For permanent preparations, the cover-glass should 

 be dried before mounting in balsam. Sections of tissue are handled as 

 usual, and are mounted either in glycerine or balsam.* 



References {none prior to 1S80) . 



Green's Pathology and Medical Anatomy, pp. 293-95. 

 Reference Hand-book of the Medical Sciences, vol. 1, pp. 70-71. 

 Annual of the Universal Medical Sciences, 188S, vol. i, p. 7 1 \ v °l- 



v < P- ?>77- 



Papers by Dr. A. J. Ochsner : Chicago Med. Journal, 1S86, vol. 



liii, No. 6, pp. 1-3; Journal Amer. Med. Assn., 1886, No. 7, pp. 



608-10. Dr. Sker'rit: Am. Journal Med. Science, Phil., 1887, N. S., 



93, pp. 75-S8. Dr. T. Bilroth : Ala. Med. and Surg. Journal, 1887, 



vol. ii, pp. 321-29 ; and a paper on Primary Abdominal Actinomycosis, 



N. Y. Med. Journal, vol. xlv, p. 297. 



Examining a Shellbark Hickory Bud. 



By Dr. HENRY SHIMER, 



MOUNT CARROLL, ILL. 



Cut a longitudinal section near the middle. (A somewhat thick sec- 

 tion, yiy- to -ji-jj- in., is easily cut.) Transfer it to a slide, apply glyce- 

 rine with a brush ; after it has pretty well soaked, drain off the super- 

 fluous fluid, warm the slide, apply glycerine-jelly, or better, my new 

 mounting formula: glycerine-jelly, 1 part, Farrant's medium, r part, 

 glycerine, 1 part, thoroughly mixed. Apply a heavy cover-glass, press 

 it down a little, at length seal the edges with cement, and the result is 

 a very beautiful specimen permanently mounted. 



Examine it with a i-inch objective, the stand being in the sunshine 

 with a piece of sky-blue blotting paper over the mirror for a back- 

 ground, and we have a more beautiful and instructive specimen than a 

 ro'iro mcn section made in celloidin. The arrangement of the leaves 

 and the hairs are all that could be desired. Even the cellular structure 

 can be studied. This process is given, not to supersede other fine 

 methods, but only as an easy method to aid in the study of a beautiful 

 bud. If it is a side bud it will show the origin of the bud in the side 

 of the limb and its progress to the surface. 



* The discusssion upon this paper will be found in the report of the Washington Microscopical Society 

 page 119. 



