127 



or from that of the Bacillus of malignant oedema, is trans- 

 ferred to a large drop of distilled water in the center of a 

 wide cover-glass. By means of a straight platinum wire, 

 three transfers are made from this drop to another drop of 

 distilled water on a second cover-glass. This second 

 cover glass will now contain only a small number of 

 bacteria and very little foreign matter. By means of a 

 platinum wire, with a very small loop, not much larger 

 than a pin-head, transfers can now be made to t> or 8 clean 

 wide cover glasses. Each small loopful is spread at once 

 over as much of the surface of the cover-glass as possible. 

 The thin film of liquid evaporates almost immediately, 

 and the cover-glass can then be fixed by passing it once 

 through the flame. Overheating the cover-glass is very 

 likely to destroy the slender flagella. 



The cover-glass, with the specimen side up, is held in 

 a pair of forceps and covered, by the aid of a pipette, with 

 Loffler's mordant solution. The cover-glass is then held 

 over the flame, which should be turned low, for about a 

 minute. The liquid should be warmed so as to give off 

 vapors, but should not be actually boiled. As fast as 

 evaporation takes place fresh mordant solution should be 

 added, and at no time should it be allowed to dry down 

 on the cover-glass. 



The mordant must then be thoroughly and completely 

 washed off the cover-glass by a jet of water. If the edge 

 has dried down, it should be loosened with a pin or knife 

 and then washed off. To still further clean the cover- 

 glass, it should be dipped for a few seconds in absolute 

 alcohol and again washed with water. 



The mordanted cover-glass is then covered with a satu- 

 rated solution of anilin water fuchsine, or with carbolic 

 fuchsine, and heated over the flame for 1 to 2 minutes, 

 observing the same precaution as before. The specimen 

 is then thoroughly washed with water and examined with 

 the -i 1 / inch oil-immersion objective. 



