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Chapter II 

 To PREPARE BLOOD FILMS 



To Clean Slides. Slides should be dipped in water 

 and rubbed dry and clean with a soft cloth, e.g., a clean 

 handkerchief. If a perfectly clean slide is required, 

 heat it c red hot ' over a flame ; in this way grease is 

 completely removed. 



Before proceeding to take specimens of blood, the 

 prepared slides may be placed in a small pocket slide 

 box or wrapped in a sheet of clean note paper. 



To Clean the Patient's Finger. If the finger of 

 one's subject is obviously dirty, and especially if damp 

 with sweat, the finger should be wiped with a cloth. 

 If considered necessary, precautions may be taken to 

 avoid all skin contaminations by the use of soap and 

 water, alcohol, and ether, but in ordinary examinations 

 for malarial parasites this is quite unnecessary. 



To make Dry Films. The simplest and by far the 

 best way of making films is by the use of no other 

 apparatus than 



1. A straight surgical needle about two inches in 



length with the eye cut off. 



2. Clean glass slides. 



When the drop of blood reaches the size of the 

 head of a small pin, touch it with the slide about one- 

 third inch from .the far end. Now lay the shaft of the 

 needle across the drop of blood. After waiting about 

 a second, that is until the drop spreads between the 

 slide and the needle ; the needle is evenly and not too 



