18U«.| MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 63 



A New Method of Making and Finishing Wax-Cells, 



M. PFLAUM, 



PITTSBURGH, PA. 



Member of the American Microscopical Society. 



After several years' testing", the following described 

 method of making wax-cells has answered every demand, 

 whether for fluid or dry mounting. 



So that the wax better adhere, a ring of asphalt (in 

 benzole) cement, wider than the intended ring, is first 

 drawn upon the slide. It is best to have such ringed 

 slides in stock so that the asphalt has thoroughly set and 

 seasoned. A mixture of wax and paraffin, in equal parts, 

 is obtained by melting to a boil, and with it, upon the 

 turn table, a cell drawn of whatever depth required, and 

 immediately well covered with the asphalt cement, with 

 special care to cover the inner and outer edges nearest 

 the glass, so that the wax is enclosed on all sides by the 

 cement. The paraffin hardening the wax, and the wax 

 making the paraffin less brittle, make together a cell 

 which will resist any change of temperature ; the asphalt 

 is used as an additional precaution in that direction. 



Such cells, of various depths, should be kept on hand 

 for thorough drying, the longer the better, to guard 

 against any possible shrinkage; for which, however, there 

 is in this cell very little danger. For mounting, whether 

 dry or fluid, the crest of the cell should be covered 

 with a very thin ring of the same mixture of wax and 

 paraffin, and the cover-glass firmly pressed down on it. 

 Mounts in such cells, with glyc-erin as a medium, have 

 proved of easy manipulation and in every respect satis- 

 factory. 



After the cover-glass is in position, the following 

 method of finishing the slide is recommended. 



As the wax-cell has been enclosed with a benzole 

 cement, the cover-glass should be fastened with a cement 



