ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 



1089 



The convenience of the drip consists in the fact that, heing attached 

 to the object-holder, a constant flow of spirit is poured over the 

 object. 



Fig. 245. 



Schallibaum's Fixation Method.* — Dr. H. Schallibaum has made 

 some improvements in his method for fixing sections to the slide for 

 the purpose of subsequent staining. The alteration occurs after the 

 ethereal oil has been driven off. Then if the object has been im- 

 bedded in paraffin, a few drops of xylol are poured over the slide, 

 held obliquely, until the paraffin is completely removed. The xylol 

 in its turn is replaced by 95* per cent, alcohol, and the slide and 

 section are carefully dried. They are then placed in a water-bath in 

 order to completely remove the alcohol. 



If the sections have been imbedded in soap, gelatin, gum, albumen, 

 celloidin, or any other alcoholic or watery medium, the slide, after 

 the ethereal oil has been evaporated, is placed for 15 minutes in a 

 95 per cent, alcohol bath and thence into water, where it remains 

 until all the alcohol is driven off. (An intermediate step between 

 the water and alcohol is advised both for the above and for the 

 paraffin imbedding. It consists in breathing over the dried section 

 several times.) 



Staining is always carried out iu the same way. After the section 

 has been dried, some drops of the staining fluid are poured on and 

 left until the desired colour is attained. The slide is then placed in 

 a moist chamber to prevent precipitation of the fluid from evaporation. 

 All the ordinary stains, except picro-carmine, may be used, but the 



* Zeitschr. f. Wiss. Mikr., iii. (1886) pp. 209 11. 

 Scr. 2.— Vol. VI. 4 B 



