CHAPTER XXXII. 



NEUROLOGICAL METHODS, AXIS-CYLINDER AND PROTOPLASM 

 STAINS (GOLGI AND OTHERS). 



730. Introduction. There are three chief methods for the 

 study of axis-cylinders and protoplasmic nerve-cell processes, 

 viz. the methylen-blue staining method, the sublimate method 

 of GOLGI, and the bichromate-of-silver method of GOLGI. The 

 methylen-blue method having been given in Chap. XVII, it 

 remains to group together here some other subordinate but 

 useful methods that are also stains proper after which will 

 be given the methods of GOLGI and some other impregnation 

 methods. 



(c) Stains Proper. 



731. Anilin blue-black has been much recommended by SAN KEY 

 (Quart. Journ. Mic. Sci., 1876, p. 69) ; BE VAN LEWIS (Human Brain, 

 p. 125 ; VEJAS (Arch. f. Psychiatric, xvi, p. 200) ; GIEKKE (Zeit. f. wiss. 

 Mik., 1884, p. 376) ; MARTINOTTI (ibid., p. 478) ; JELGEESMA (Zeit.f. wiss. 

 Mik., 1886, p. 39) ; SCHMAUS (Munch, med. Wochenschr., No. 8, 1891, 

 p. 147; Zeit.f. wiss. Mile., viii, 1891, p. 230), and others. I have not been 

 able to identify the colour used by these authors, but as they 'concur in 

 saying that the English preparation sold under that name alone gives good 

 results, I conclude that it must have been the anilin black of Lightfoot. 

 If so, it is no longer found in commerce, and should not be quoted as a his- 

 tological reagent (see 313). For details see previous editions. 



732. MABTINOTTI (loc. cit., 1884, p. 478) finds that picro- 

 nigrosin gives very good results, especially for pathological 

 objects. He stains for two or three hours or days in a 

 saturated solution of nigrosin in saturated solution of picric 

 acid in alcohol, and washes out in a mixture of 1 part of 

 formic acid with 2 parts of alcohol until the grey matter 



