100 Morbid Growths. 



Place it in a mixture of dilate spirit (page 13) for 12 

 hours, then remove it to pure methylated spirit for 12 

 hours and finally to absolute alcohol for 12 hours. It 

 will then in all probability be fit to cut sections from. 

 Imbed in wax mass and cut some sections by hand, 

 stain with logwood and mount in Canada balsam. 



There are some morbid growths, such as medullary 

 carcinoma, which cannot be dealt with in this way, and 

 they must be hardened in the chromic acid mixture in 

 the usual manner. 



In all morbid growths where there is a large epi- 

 thelial element, they can be best hardened in spirit 

 mixture. When large masses are to be hardened, 

 Muller's fluid or 2 per cent, bichromate of potash are 

 necessary, and must be used in the manner described 

 for normal tissue at page 12. 



It is quite as important that pathological specimens 

 should be properly hardened as normal tissues, but 

 how seldom is this done. In the first place it is diffi- 

 cult to get the morbid tissues fresh enough, and yet 

 they are often put on one side or at most placed in the 

 lump in a very small quantity of methylated spirit for 

 some time before being hardened, and it is expected 

 that good sections can then be prepared from them. 



Nothing is more erroneous than this idea ; the sub- 

 ject has been probably dead 24 hours at the least when 

 the post mortem is made, often longer, and in summer 

 especially, this means utter ruin to such organs as the 

 spleen. How important is it therefore that such organs 

 as are fresh should be put in the hardening medium at 

 once. For this purpose a wide-mouthed bottle of chro- 



