STAINING SOLUTIONS 101 



(7) Bismarck brown (Vesuvin) : 



A saturated aqueous solution should be prepared and diluted 

 somewhat for use. A good counter-stain for the tissues in Gram's 

 method. Stain for two to five minutes. 



(8) Orange-rubin : 



Prepare saturated aqueous solutions of orange G. and rubin S. 

 Mix equal volumes and dilute with water until of a light port-wine 

 colour. Stain tissues for five to fifteen minutes. A good contrast 

 stain for tuberculosis and actinomycosis. 



(9) Picro-carmine : 



This is best bought ready prepared. Sections are stained in the 

 solution for half to one hour, washed, then placed in a watch-glass 

 of spirit, to which three or four drops of hydrochloric acid have 

 been added, for two or three minutes, then well washed in water. 

 The section can now be counter-stained with Loffler's blue or by 

 Gram's method. 



(10) HaBmatoxylin : 



Ehrlich's formula is one of the best and simplest to use, and 

 can be obtained ready for use. It must be " ripe." It is a histo- 

 logical and not a bacterial stain. Sections are treated as follows : 



(1) Distilled water, one to two minutes. 



(2) Stain with the hsematoxylin solution for five to thirty minutes. 

 In some cases the solution is preferably diluted somewhat with 

 distilled water. 



(3) Rinse in distilled water. 



(4) Rinse in distilled water containing a trace of acetic acid. 



(5) Treat with distilled water containing a trace of ammonia. 

 The sections remain in this until they assume a deep blue colour. 

 (Tap-water, five to ten minutes, may also be used.) 



(6) They can be dehydrated, cleared and mounted, or counter- 

 stained with eosin, orange-rubin, or Van-Gieson, and then mounted. 



Hsematoxylin makes a good contrast stain for the tubercle and 

 the leprosy bacillus and for Actinomyces. 



Mayer's hsemalum (see section on the " Amoeba coli ") and 

 Delafield's hsematoxylin are also good hsematoxylin stains. 



(11) Ehrlich-Biondi triple stain : 



This is best bought ready for use. It is a good histological stain 

 for tissues and blood films, and actinomycosis stains well by it. 

 Stain for ten to sixty minutes, then treat with methylated spirit 



