1891.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 187 



the stain, the bacilli part with it with difficulty. Anilin oil and car- 

 bolic acid render the same stainable. The most certain and satisfactory 

 stain is fuchsin and carbolic acid prepared as follows : One part of 

 fuchsin is dissolved in a 5 per cent, aqueous solution of carbolic acid ; 

 to this add 10 parts of absolute alcohol. This is suitable both for cover- 

 glass preparations of sputum and for sections of the tissue to be exam- 

 ined.- This stains the tubercle bacilli and other substances all red. 

 Stain again in Gabbett's solution, methyl blue dissolved in sulphuric 

 acid. Dissolve i or 2 grains of methyl blue in a 25 per cent, aqueous 

 solution of sulphuric acid. If it is a cover-glass preparation, swim it 

 on the solution. If the solution is warm, it will take the stain in three 

 or four minutes. If it is a section of tissue, keep it in the solution fif- 

 teen minutes. If the solution is not warm, leave it in twelve hours. 

 From this solution wash in water. If a section of tissue, pick it up 

 on a glass slide, dry with bibulous paper ; when it is dry, drop on i or 

 2 drops of Gabbett's solution, and allow it to remain one-half to one 

 minute, then wash oft" with a stream of 95 per cent, alcohol, poured 

 upon the specimen ; dry and clear with oil of cloves, and then mount 

 upon slide, etc. Second method : Stain with methyl violet dissolved 

 in anilin water. Take 5 parts of anilin oil to loo parts of distilled 

 water; shake thoroughly ; filter through moist filter paper. This gives 

 a clear solution. To a watch-glassful of this add 5 drops of gentian 

 violet. After the tubercle bacilli is stained, the color is removed from 

 the other structures by an acid. Immerse it for only a moment in the 

 acid, then wash the acid out with water. Stain with a contrast color, 

 as vesuvian or Bismark brown." Spores do not take the stain. — The 

 Druggists Circular and Chemical Gazette. 



EDITORIAL. 



Micro-Organisms. — Through the courtesy of Prof. Floyd Davis, 

 the author of Potable Water, and Messrs. Silver, Burdett & Co., of 

 Boston, the publishers, we are permitted to reprint the chapter on 

 Micro-Organisms, which appears in another column of this issue. 

 This subject is specially interesting and instructive, and we desire to 

 express our thanks here to these gentlemen for their kindness in allow- 

 ing us to use this material in the yournal. 



Personal. — Mr. Edward Bausch and family sailed for Europe, July 

 30, on the steamer "Normannie" to attend the meeting of micro- 

 scopists at Antwerp, which is the Triennial Celebration of the Dis- 

 covery of Microscopy. We take pleasure in wishing Mr. and Mrs. 

 Bausch a happy journey, and trust that at an early date the readers of 

 the your?ial may be favored with an account of the meeting. 



The Photo-American Review. — This magazine made its first 

 appearance in May, 1891. It is well printed and delightfully illus- 

 trated. Its pictures are all taken from nature — much skill and wisdom 

 being shown in their choice. Each number contains interesting and 

 instructive papers on general photography. Another important feature 

 is the list of new books, which not only contains a record arranged 

 alphabetically with the author's names, but a short review of each 

 work. 



