Ch. XI] PREPARATIONS BY THE PARAFFIN METHOD 



385 



is xylene. Benzine, gasoline, and even kerosene are used, but xylene 

 is a powerful solvent of paraffin, does not injure the tissue, and is 

 not very inflammable, due to the large amount of carbon in its 



Slides 



Fig. 231. F '8- 232- 



Fig. 231. Slide Basket or Rack for Handling Serial Sections. 



Fig. 232. Glass Stoppered Specimen Jar with a Slide Basket or Rack 



with a Specimen in Place. 



molecule (see § 552) and the consequent high boiling point, 136 C. 



(§45o). 



It requires only a few minutes to dissolve paraffin from the sec- 

 tions, but a day or more in the xylene does no harm. 



