170 SUMMARY OP CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



The preparations previously stained by Miiller's fluid are 

 thoroughly washed for twenty-four hours in distilled water, and then 

 steeped for twenty-four hours in a concentrated alcoholic solution of 

 haematoxylin, prepared fresh every time. To the latter (the exact 

 quantity not given) are added four to five drops of an alum solution 

 (1-300), and five to six drops of dilute ammonia. After twenty-four 

 hours the solution is thoroughly washed and left in distilled water for 

 twenty-four hours, and is then placed in glycerin. 



Picroborate of Carmine.* — M. G. Dutilleul describes an alcoholic 

 reagent which has all the advantages of picrocarmine without its 

 disadvantages. It has great penetrating force and gives a double 

 stain (yellow and red). 



Mix, warm, equal volumes of borax-carmine and a saturated 

 solution of picric acid, and add to the mixture one volume of 95 per 

 cent, alcohol. Filter when cold. It can be kept indefinitely without 

 leaving any deposit. 



Staining with Iodine Vapour.j — ^Many of the micro-fungi, when 

 mounted permanently in Canada balsam, become so transparent as to 

 be nearly invisible. Mr. B. Piffard finds that if previously exposed 

 to the action of iodine vapour, they assume, when mounted, a clear 

 yellowish-bro^ n colour by which their structure is beautifully 

 defined. 



Cold Mass Injection for Anatomical Preparations.^ — The 

 materials for this mass, which has been suggested by Herr A. K. 

 Bjeloussow, are only two, viz. borax and finely powdered gum arabic. 

 A solution of these substances is made separately, and the two 

 solutions afterwards mixed in the proportion of one part by weight of 

 gum to a half part by weight of borax. The resulting mass resembles 

 gelatin in its physical properties, and is almost insoluble in water. 

 The gelatinous mass is next rubbed up with ordinary water, and then 

 forcibly strained through a piece of linen. The last two steps are 

 repeated once more, and then a solution, miscible with water in all 

 proportions, is obtained. 



Any pigments, except cobalt or cadmium colours, may be used to 

 stain the injection mass. Carmine is perhaps the most useful, 

 especially for fine capillary injection. Any injection apparatus may 

 be employed to introduce the injection mass into the blood or lymph 

 vessels. After injection, the object is placed in spirit, and this 

 " sets " the injection mass. Should it be necessary to remove the 

 mass from any part, this may be efiected by dropping over it a little 

 dilute acetic acid. 



Mounting in Gelatin.§ — Dr. L. Gerlach dissolves 40 grm. gelatin 

 in 200 c.cm. of a saturated solution of arsenious acid, adds 120 c.cm. 

 glycerin, and clears with albumen. The solution is yellowish. The 



* Bull. Sci. Dep. Nord, xvi. (1885) pp. 371-2. 

 ' t Sci.-Gossip, 1886, p. 17. 



X Arch. f. Anat. u. Physiol. (Anat. Abtheil.), 1885, pp. 379-84. 

 § Cf. Virchow and Hirscli's Jahresbericht (for 1884) 1885, p. 68. From 

 Gerlach's Beitr. zur Morpliologie u. Morphogenie, pp. 118-20. 



