PLASMATIC STAINS. 39 



rally used as Specific Stains. Gentian and Methyl Violets for 

 micro-organisms ; Methyl Violet for amyloid degeneration, and 

 Dahlia Violet to demonstrate the " mastzellen." 



Dahlia Violet has a strong red tint and Methyl Violet & 

 strong blue tint, while Gentian Violet is intermediate between 

 the two. Gentian and Dahlia are both very fine nuclear stains, 

 but Methyl Violet washes out too readily in spirit to be of 

 much use. 



Gentian Violet may be made directly nuclear by adding 1 

 p. c. of Glacial Acetic Acid to the solution. 



(vi.) PUCHSINE (Magenta). 



Fuchsine, 1 grm. ; Distilled Water, 150 cc. ; Eectified Spirit, 

 50 cc. ; dissolve and add Glycerine, 200 cc. 



This fluid was devised by Dr. Ferrier for staining blood 

 corpuscles. The sp. gr. is similar to that of Liquor Sanguinis. 

 The coloured corpuscles of non-mammalian vertebrates alter 

 but little in shape while they become stained (Rutherford?* 

 Histology. 1876). 



(vii.) HOFFMANN'S BLUE. 



Hoffmann's Blue, 1 grm. ; Eectified Spirit, 20 cc. ; Distilled 

 Water, 80 cc. ; Glacial Acetic Acid, 0-5 cc. 



Immerse the sections for 10 minutes, rinse in Water, wash 

 in 90 p.c. Alcohol, dehydrate, clear, and mount in Balsam. 



FLASMATIC STAINS. 



These colour the whole tissue uniformly. They are used as 

 ground stains in connection with the nuclear and specific stains 

 for the sake of contrast. 



After the treatment for nuclear or specific staining, tissues 

 if taken from Alcohol are placed for about a minute in Distilled 



