12 



STUDENTS HISTOLOGY 



piece which has been cut, and repeat the operation. Do not 

 attempt to cut large or very thin sections at first. A minute 

 fragment, if thin, is valuable. 



As the razor is drawn through the tissue, the section floats in 

 the alcohol; depress the point of the knife, and the section will 

 slide into the saucer of spirit, and thus prevent its injury. If it 

 does not leave the knife readily, brush it along with a camel' s- 

 hair pencil which has been well wet with the alcohol. 



Proceed in the above manner until the tissue is exhausted, 

 when you will have a great number of sections, large and small, 



FIG. 5. STIRLING'S MICROTOME. 



thick and thin. Selecting the thinnest, lift them carefully with a 

 needle, one at a time, into a small, wide -mouthed bottle of alcohol; 

 cork and label for future use. 



When the work is finished, and before the spirit has evaporated 

 from your fingers it is impossible to avoid wetting the skin more 

 or less wash them thoroughly and wipe dry. This saves the 

 roughening of the hands which is apt to result when alcohol has 

 been allowed to dry upon them repeatedly. 



SECTION CUTTING WITH THE STIRLING MICROTOME 



Of the numerous mechanical aids to section cutting, we shall 

 mention only two or three. One of the earlier and better known 



