882 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



larger animals, where this mode of treatment fails, the fluid must be 

 injected. The cannula of a glass syringe, filled with the hot fluid, is 

 inserted into the mouth at the moment it opens, which act habitually 

 follows on gently touching the lip. After injecting, the hot solution 

 is poured into the glass containing the animal and a small quantity of 

 sea water. 



If the operation is cleverly performed, the animal remains fully 

 expanded, as the mechanical pressure of the injected fluid prevents 

 contraction. 



After from five to fifteen minutes the animal is washed in distilled 

 water, and allowed to remain twelve hours in 50 per cent, alcohol,* 

 then passed through the higher grades of alcohol. Borax-carmine 

 and hematoxylin used for staining. 



B. Glycerine and Alcohol.^ — 



Glycerine .. .. .. ..20 parts. 



Alcohol (70 per cent.) .. .. 40 „ 



Sea water . . . . . . 40 „ 



This mixture, poured very slowly into the containing glass, often 

 gives very good results, both for anatomical and histological pur- 

 poses. 



C. Nicotine and Tobacco Smoke. — a. A solution of nicotine (1 g.) 

 in sea water (1 1,), conducted into the vessel containing the animal 

 fully expanded in a half litre of sea water, by means of a thread suffi- 

 ciently large to empty the flask holding the nicotine solution in the 

 course of twelve hours. 



b. The vessel containing the animal in an extended condition, 

 covered by a bell-jar in which tobacco smoke is confined, until the 

 animal becomes completely benumbed. 



After being deprived of sensibility by either of these methods, the 

 creature may be killed in corrosive sublimate, or in picro-sulphuric 

 acid. 



D. Dr. Andres finds that in the use of chloroform, dropped slowly 

 into the water, or administered in form of vapour, maceration usually 

 sets in before the power of contracting is lost. Good preparations of 

 the internal parts may be obtained by injecting a weak solution of 

 osmic acid. The method of freezing has also been employed with 

 some success. For this purpose three vessels are placed one within 

 the other, the central one containing the Actinia, the middle one ice 

 and salt, and the outer one cotton. 



The ice containing the congealed animal is dissolved in alcohol or 

 an acid. 



E. Maceration. — It is often important to see the cells of a tissue 

 in situ before freeing them with needles. In such cases Dr. Andres 

 proceeds as follows : — 



1. Killed with corrosive sublimate. 



2. Left in 25 per cent, alcohol twenty-four hours. 



* A little camphor (1-100 ccm.) added to the alcohol will facilitate the 

 removal of the sublimate. 



t This method originated with S. Lobianco. 



