TREATMENT OF SECTIONS 



125 



returned to a bath of fresh absolute alcohol for a short 

 time and then transferred again to the clearing agent. 

 Care should be taken that watch-glasses, etc., used for 

 the absolute alcohol and clearing agent are perfectly 

 dry. The clearing agent can be used many times before 

 becoming useless. 



For transferring the sections from one solution to 

 another an ordinary needle, fixed in a light wooden 

 handle, suffices, or, better, a piece of glass 

 drawn out at one end, the section being 

 carefully lifted by one corner to prevent 

 crumpling ; but for the final process of 

 mounting it is necessary to use a section 

 lifter or cigarette - paper. The section, 

 spread out with care, is raised by means 

 of the lifter or cigarette-paper introduced 

 under it, and transferred to the slide, any 

 crinkles are removed by spreading with a 

 needle, the superfluous clearing agent is 

 drained off, and the section blotted with 

 two or three thicknesses of smooth filter- 

 paper, a drop of xylol balsam put on, and 

 it is then covered with a clean cover-glass. 

 In blotting firm pressure should be used, 

 and the section will then adhere to the glass slide and not 

 to the blotting-paper. With delicate sections all the pro- 

 cesses of staining, dehydrating, clearing, etc., may be 

 carried out on the slide. . 



(b) Paraffin sections. The section fixed on the slide 

 (p. 109) must be freed from paraffin before staining and 

 mounting. The slides with attached sections are treated 

 as follows : Flood with or immerse in (1) xylol for one or 

 two minutes, drain ; (2) absolute alcohol one to two 

 minutes to remove the xylol, drain ; (3) distilled water. 

 They are now ready for staining, and are to be flooded 



FIG. 22. Glass 

 jar for clear- 

 ing, etc. 



