214 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [ November, 
acid. The sections then had a deep red color or tinged violet. The chro- 
matine of the nucleus of the hepatic cells took on deep violet tint ; the caryo- 
plasma, light violet; while the cytoplasma came out very distinct as a mesh- 
work with pink or light carmine color. The nerve fibres appeared deep 
violet, and the connective tissue assumed a light red, or sometimes deep red 
color. Study of Vecturws was rewarded with better success than the human 
liver, on account, probably, of the much greater size of the hepatic cells. In 
the latter case the author finds an intercellular nervous network from which 
excessively fine twigs are given off, which terminate each in a delicate bead in 
the interior of the hepatic cells near the nucleus. In /Vecturus the nerves 
also break up into very fine twigs, which enter the gland cells and branch and 
terminate in beads or swellings near the nucleus which are in immediate con- 
tact with the protoplasmic reticulum within the cell. 
O 
Bacillus tuberculosis.—Dr. H. Tholman employs in his medical prac- 
tice this useful method of staining Baczllus tuberculosis. The patient is 
directed to collect the sputum in a wide-necked bottle containing a solu- 
tion of— 
Ehrlich’s analin water, : § : 8.0 grms. 
Buchsin,, : : 3 ; . 5 2.0 grms. 
Carbolicaciderrevaeea : 0.5 grms. 
It here escapes putrefaction, and a saving of time in coloring the bacteria 
results. The sputum remains in this mixture 24 hours and is then spread out 
on cover-glass heated in flame decolorized with 5% nitric acid solution. 
If the sputum be not sufficiently colored in 24 hours it may be then colored 
by the Koch-Ehrlich method. Longer in the coloring solution the sputum 
becomes brittle.—J/edzcal Record, Oct., ’86. 
——— ( ) 
Petrographical Microscope.—Dr. Geo. H. Williams, of Johns Hop- 
kins Univ., the Professor of Lithology in that institution, having suggested 
the advisability of constructing a sufficiently inexpensive instrument for rock- 
study, to meet the wants of most students, the optical firm of Messrs. Bausch 
& Lomb have constructed an instrument after his designs. One of these in- 
struments was shown by Prof. Williams at the New York meeting of the 
American Association before the section of geology. We do not design to 
give a description of the instrument here, but shall perform a service to geol- 
ogy by referring any of our readers to the manufacturers for particulars re- 
garding description, price, etc. The instrument is handy and satisfactory 
in every respect and more economical than foreign instruments, which must 
be imported. 
— —()— — 
Preparing tendon-cells and cells of loose subcutaneous tissue.— 
Dr. A. Dogiel obtained very good preparations of tendon by placing rat’s 
tail in Grenacher’s alum-carmine for two or three hours, or, still better, for a 
week orevenamonth. The tendon bundles swell up and become transparent, 
and the cells appear beautifully stained. The elastic fibres stand out very 
clearly. The same effect may be obtained if tendon be placed in a saturated 
solution of potash or ammonia alum, and afterwards staining with Grena- 
cher’s alum-carmine, alum-logwood, hematoxylin, eosin, etc. Mounted in 
glycerin, the preparations keep for a long time, but afterwards a slight dis- 
coloration takes place. Permanent preparations of tendon are better placed 
in spirit than oil of cloves, wherein they are teased out, then dammar or 
balsam. For the subcutaneous tissue it is recommended to take a piece free 
