80 CLEARING AGENTS. 



CLOVE OIL. 



This will mix in any proportion with 90 p. c. Alcohol with- 

 out becoming turbid, and clears rapidly, but it dissolves the 

 aniline colours to a very considerable extent. 



The same objection applies even more forcibly to "Wood- 

 tar Creosote, and Carbolic Acid. 



XYLOL. 



This, on the other hand, is practically without action on 

 aniline colours, but has so little affinity for water that it can 

 only be used after Alcohol of at least 96 p. c. 



Taking therefore Clove Oil and Xylol as types, the follow- 

 ing have been classified as resembling the one or the other in 

 reference to their behaviour with 90 p. c. Alcohol, and their 

 action on aniline colours. 



This strength of Alcohol has been chosen because it is that 

 of the Methylated Spirit generally sold in this country and 

 which for economy is largely used in washing and dehydrat- 

 ing the material for microscopic work. An agent, therefore, 

 which will clear from this strength of Alcohol is a deside- 

 ratum. 



OIL OP TURPENTINE 



has a comparatively low refractive index, resembles Xylol, 

 but causes shrinkage and renders the tissues brittle. It 

 becomes resinified on exposure to air. 



TEREBENE. 



It belongs to the Xylol group, but acts slightly upon ani- 

 line colours, and is open to the same objection as Oil of 

 Turpentine regarding shrinkage. 



BENZOL and TOLUOL. 



These only differ from Xylol in their volatility; Benzol 

 "being the most volatile, and Xylol the least so of the three ; 



