286 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [Aug. 



growth is in itself a veritable compendium of valuable sci- 

 entific information for future reference. Price 10 cents 

 per copy. 



International Bacteriologic "Concours." — As a memor- 

 ial to Pasteur, the Circulo Medico Arg-entino of Buenos 

 Aires, offers prizes of $400 and $200 for the best original 

 and unpublished bacteriologic investigations or studies re- 

 ported to the President, Senor Greg-orio Aroaz Alfaro, be- 

 fore May 31, 1897. The reports to be in Spanish or 

 French. For further particulars see the Cronico Medica 

 of Lima, April 15. 



MICROSCOPICAL MANIPULATION. 



Rapid Method for Microscopical Preparations. — 

 Thehvall Thomas tells (Lancet ) of the rapid preparation 

 of specimens for the microscope by the use of formal- 

 dehyde in 4 per cent solutions, which harden in a few hours 

 any piece of tumor or tissue placed in them. This solu- 

 tion freezes on an ether-microtome, and the sections, after 

 immersion in methylated spirit, can be readily stained 

 with hematoxylin. During- the past twelve months he has 

 cut sections (over one hundred) of every tumor or tissue 

 the day after its removal by the surg-eon. 



Note on the Permanent Staining of Ringworm Fungus. 

 — H. G. Adamson (Brit. Jour. Dermat.), for the staining 

 of the ring^worm fungus, combines the caustic potash solu- 

 tion with the ordinary staining- method. Dr. Adamson 

 claims that the keratin nature of the horny tissues is lost 

 by the use of the caustic potash, and that decolorization 

 takes place as in non-horny epithelial tissues (Am. Med.- 

 Surg-. Bull.) The details are as follows : 1.5-per cent.-lO- 

 per cent, solution of caustic potash on the slide for ten to 

 thirty minutes. 2. Wash 15 per cent, alcohol in water. 3. 

 Dry the slide, and, in the case of scales, fix by passing- 

 through the flame. 5. Stain in g-entian-anilin-violet (made 

 in the usual w^ay by the addition of a few drops of satu- 

 rated alcoholic solution of gentian-violet to anilin-water), 



