

HISTOLOGICAL METHODS. 175 



Dissolve the magenta in the water, and then add the spirit. 

 Preserve in a stoppered or well-corked bottle. This fluid 

 is used for the tissues generally. 



b. Strong magenta fluid prepared thus 



Magenta crystals . . i Decigramme. 



Distilled water . . 15CC. Dissolve and add 



Rectified spirit . . 5CC. 



Glycerine . . . 2oCC. 

 This fluid, devised by my former assistant, Dr. Ferrier, 

 is used for staining blood corpuscles. Being of a specific 

 gravity, similar to that of the liquor sanguinis, the coloured 

 corpuscles of non-mammalian vertebrates alter but little in 

 shape while they become stained. 



325. Aniline Blue-Black * has been recently recom- 

 mended by Mr. Sankey (Quarterly Microscop. Journ., vol. 

 xvi. p. 95) for staining the nerve cells of the brain and 

 spinal cord. The tint which it gives to them is a blue-gray. 

 He gives the following formula : Dissolve 5 centigrammes 

 of the dye in 2CC water, pour it into 99CC methylated 

 spirit, and filter. The sections of brain stain in a few 

 minutes. The sections are clarified with clove oil and 

 mounted in dammar in the usual way. Mr. Lewis 

 (Quarterly Microscop. Journ,, p. 73) recommends deep 

 staining with an aqueous solution of the dye (|- to i per 

 cent), and the subsequent removal of superfluous pigment, 

 by immersion for twenty minutes or so in an aqueous solu- 

 tion of chloral hydrate (i to i o per cent). The chloral is then 

 removed by washing in water, and the sections mounted in 

 dammar (see 247, c}. 



326. Madder. Under the title " purpurine " the fol- 

 lowing fluid is recommended by Ranvier for staining car- 

 tilage cells : Add i gramme of alum to 2ooCC distilled 

 water ; bring them to the boiling point in a porcelain basin, 

 and then add " some " extract of madder previously pow- 

 dered, and rubbed up with a little water. The ebullition is 

 continued, and a portion is dissolved. It is filtered while 



* This is a cheap substance, and may be obtained from Messrs. 

 Read, Holliday, and Sons, Huddersfield, or at 15 Fenchurch Street, 

 London. 



