GONORRHOEA. 103 



should be mixed with a small quantity of carbolic lotion 

 or other antiseptic and allowed to settle for twenty-four 

 hours ; it is much better to use a centrifuge if one is 

 available. In cases where we require evidences as to 

 cure after an attack of gonorrhoea the urine is examined 

 after gentle massage of the prostate. 



STAINING OF FILMS. 



One film is to be stained by a simple stain such as 

 methylene blue or carbol-thionin. The other is to 

 be stained by Gram's method, and then in dilute carbol- 

 fuchsin for half a minute. Bismarck brown may also be 

 employed but is hardly as good. 



Examination of films. First take the specimen in which 

 the simple stain has been used and examine it with the 

 oil immersion lens. You will see that it shows number- 

 less cells with very irregularly lobed nuclei ; these are 

 the pus cells or polymorphonuclear leucocytes. There 

 will also be some flat squamous epithelial cells. 



The gonococci will be stained even deeper than the 

 cell nuclei, and will be mostly contained within the pus 

 cells. If you see a cell which contains numerous small 

 blue or violet granules bring it into the centre of the 

 field and examine it more thoroughly, to see whether 

 the granules have the characters of the organism which 

 we are about to describe. 



The gonococcus is a large diplococcus, each compon- 

 ent of the pair being shaped like a kidney, the hilum 

 being turned toward that of its fellow. Single forms 

 (which may be rounded) and tetrads are sometimes seen. 

 It does not stain by Gram's method, and this is one of 

 its most important features. Another important point is 



