712 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Staining differences in resting and active Nuclei in Carcinoma, 

 Adenoma, and Sarcoma.'* — Dr. A. Kossinski who has been investigating 

 the chromoleptic substances in cell-nuclei, comes to the conclusion that 

 the resting nucleus is differently constructed from the active one. The 

 author examined twenty different tumours, and pieces of these were 

 hardened in sublimate solution or 97 per cent, alcohol, imbedded in 

 paraffin and cut up into sections O'Ol mm. thick. Of the numerous 

 stains used the preference is given to safranin and dahlia. The former 

 was used in a 0*5 per cent, watery-spirituous solution; the latter in 

 concentrated alcoholic solution. If, however, a double stain were used, 

 a combination of hsematoxylin with after-staining with safranin gave by 

 far the best result. With this method the resting nuclei were coloured 

 blue-violet, the karyokinetic or active nuclei a deep red. The method 

 adopted was to stain the section which had been fixed on the slide for 

 nearly a minute with the logwood solution : then to wash it with a 1 per 

 cent, watery alum solution for two to four minutes, then with distilled 

 water for three to five minutes, and lastly with alcohol for one to 

 three minutes. The safranin solution was then allowed to act for 

 twenty to thirty minutes, after which the excess was extracted with 

 alcohol. 



Other combinations such as nigrosin and safranin, indigo-carmine and 

 safranin, and eosin or crocein with dahlia sometimes gave fair results. 



Rapid method of Staining the Tubercle Bacillus in liquids and 

 in tissues. t — This method, the invention of Dr. H. Martin, depends on 

 the combination of heat and the proper dyes. The pigments used are 

 crystal violet (hexamethyl violet) and eosin as a contrast stain. The 

 stain is made in two solutions: — (1) Crystal violet, 1 g. ; alcohol, 95 per 

 cent., 30 com. (2) Carbonate of ammonia, 1 g. ; distilled water, 100 com. 

 Some of solution 2 is poured into a watch-glass, and so much of No. 1 

 added until the mixture stains filter-paper deeply. This solution is 

 heated until it almost boils. 



Cover-glass preparations put up in the usual way are stained in this 

 solution for about one minute, and are then decolorized in 10 per cent, 

 nitric acid (four to five seconds), washed in 95 per cent, spirit, dried or 

 after-stained with the following solution : — Eosin, 1 g. ; alcohol, 60 per 

 cent., 100 ccm. This last stain only requires half a minute (cold). The 

 staining of sections is the same as the foregoing, except that the author 

 recommends that after alcohol the sections should be passed through oil 

 of cloves, then turpentine and xylol. The solution of nitric acid should 

 be 25 per cent, instead of 10 per cent. 



Staining and Detection of Gonococci.J — Dr. J. Schiitz gives the 

 following process for differential staining of gonococci : — Prepare the 

 cover-glasses in the ordinary manner and immerse them for from five to 

 ten minutes in a saturated solution of methyl-blue in a 5 per cent, 

 aqueous solution of carbolic acid. Wash in distilled water and immerse 

 for a few seconds in very dilute acetic acid (one minim of the acid to a 

 drachm of water). Washing in distilled water completes the process, 

 though if desired, a dilute solution of safranin may be employed as a 



* Wratsch, 18S8, Nos. 4, 5, 6. Cf. Zeitschr. f. Wiss. Mikr., vi. (1888) pp. 60-2. 

 t Annales de I'lnstitut Pasteur, 1889, p. 160. 



X St. Louis Med. and Surg. Journ., Ivii. (1889) p. 44, from 'Miincher Med. 

 Wochen.schrift,' 1889, No. 14. 



