ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 845 



various " Flemming " solutions tried, that wliicli contained most osmic 

 acid was the most successful. The preparations were then soaked in 

 chloroform and imbedded in paraffin and then sectioned in a Dumaige 

 microtome. The sections were fixed to the slide with a mixture of equal 

 parts of albumen and glycerin. The stains used were safranin, haema- 

 toxylin, h^ematoxylin-eosin, acid carmine, picro-carmine, and gentian- 

 violet. These dyes all acted very slowly on preparations treated with 

 the Flemming solutions, but very quickly on those fixed in osmic acid. 

 Bizzozero's method was employed for staining the nucleus, safranin 

 being found to be quite as good as gentian-violet for this purpose, pro- 

 vided that the iodine solution were allowed to act more eifectually, and 

 the spirit less powerfully. 



Stain for the Morphological Elements in Urine.*— Dr. F. L. James 

 has hitherto reco mm ended for this purpose the ordinary aqueous solution 

 of eosin. It acts rapidly, and but a small amount is needed to give all 

 the elements so decided a tinge that the most delicate hyaline cast will 

 rarely escape the practical eye. He recently made a solution of boro- 

 eosin, and after a number of experiments with it, much prefers it for this 

 purpose to the simple aqueous solution above referred to. The new 

 stain acts more rapidly, and imparts a deeper and richer tinge to the 

 elements. In nucleated elements the nuclei take the stain in a much 

 more intense degree than does the balance of the structure, and as a con- 

 sequence, are clearly and sharply differentially stained by it. As to its 

 lasting properties, it is yet too early to speak, but it is reasonable to 

 suppose that it will be quite as permanent as the stain made with the 

 aqueous solution of eosin. This, however, is a secondary consideration, 

 as the chief value of the stain is the rapidity and the ease with which it 

 enables us to find otherwise difficult objects. The formula for boro-eosin 

 is as follows : — Eosin, 10 parts; sodium biborate in powder, 15 parts; 

 alcohol of 95°, 60 parts ; distilled water, 415 parts. Dissolve the borax 

 in half of the water. Add the alcohol to the remainder of the water 

 dissolve the eosin in the mixture, mix the two solutions and filter. 



In using it allow the urine to stand in a conical glass until the 

 suspended elements have in a great measure subsided. The clear 

 supernatant fluid is siphoned, or otherwise drawn off and the stain 

 added to the remainder. A few drops of perosmic acid solution is 

 added at the same time. This gives the urine a dark or almost black 

 appearance by direct light, but when examined with transmitted lio-ht the 

 colour is a deep rich ruby. A drop withdrawn and examined within a 

 half hour after adding the stains will show all the elements well coloured, 

 the epithelia and granular casts especially so. The hyaline casts will be 

 suf&ciently coloured to be very distinct, but require more time for 

 thorough staining. Permanent mounts of urine thus prepared will last 

 a long time without deterioration, but for preservati(jn the author 

 advises the use of glycerin. 



Staining Spores.j — Dr. G. Hauser recommends the following method 

 for staining spores. The cover-glass is passed thrice through the flame 

 in the usual manner, and is then covered with a strongish watery 

 solution of fuchsin. The cover-glass is then passed through the flame 

 forty or fifty times until the stain evaporates or even simmers. If 



* St. Louis Med. and Surg. Journ., Iv. (1888) pp. 9S-9. 

 t Miiuchener Med. Wochensclir., 1S87, p. 654. 



