520 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



simple anilins, logwood, and eosin. When fresh it is of a light amber 

 colour, and does not clear readily, but after having been exposed to the air 

 it becomes darker, and its action more rapid. 



The author finds that oil of thyme causes the Weigert hasmatoxylin stain 

 to fade, and that its clarifying property is weak, requiring very thorough 

 dehydration, and that it corrugates the celloidin. An unfavourable opinion 

 is expressed as to the value of Minot and Dunham's clarifier, viz. the mix- 

 ture of oil of thymol and oil of cloves. Anilin oil clears rapidly, and leaves 

 the celloidin quite pliable, but unless thoroughly (almost an impossibility) 

 removed, the preparation becomes yellowish-brown. Xylol requires very 

 thorough dehydration, and corrugates the celloidin. Bergamot clears well, 

 but damages the stain, especially eosin. Creosote is of very variable com- 

 position ; some kinds dissolve celloidin. M. Flesch recommends beechwood 

 creosote. 



Mounting Sections prepared by Golgi's Method.* — Signer Magini, 

 in order to render permanent preparations obtained by Golgi's method, 

 recommends that the sections when taken from the bichloride of mercury, 

 should be placed in a mixture of equal parts of absolute alcohol, and 

 wetted and shaken up. They are then immersed in creosote for about 

 half an hour, and when on the slide, the creosote is carefully removed with 

 blotting-paper, and the preparations mounted in dammar dissolved in 

 chloroform and ether. 



Rapid Method of Dry Mounting. I — Mr. A. W. Stokes takes a mixture 

 of equal parts of paraffin wax and bees'-wax ; a piece the size of a pea is 

 placed on a glass or metal slip. This is heated till it melts and forms 

 a thin film ; in contact with this are placed the rings intended to form 

 the cells. First one side, then the other side of the rings is brought in 

 contact with the melted wax. The rings are taken off, and in a second or 

 two are cold and hard. One of these is placed on a clean glass slip in the 

 position desired, and heat applied below the slip till the waxed surface of 

 the ring melts and adheres. It is now allowed to cool. The object mean- 

 while is dried in a desiccator over sulphiiric acid or calcic chloride ; it is 

 then placed in the cell and fastened in position by a minute fragment of 

 wax. Gum will not do for fixing the object, since if really dry it will not 

 adhere at all. A cover-glass is now taken, one side cleaned and heated ; 

 while still hot it is placed on the top of the cell. This top surface having 

 already, as described, been covered with wax, the glass at once adheres, 

 and the object is dry-mounted permanently. There is no liquid to sweat, 

 and no time wasted in waiting for the cell to dry. So strongly does the 

 mixture of waxes adhere, that it is not easy, without applying heat, to 

 detach either cell or cover-glass. Cells can be made out of tissue paper, 

 if required very shallow, or any of the ordinary rings may be used. 

 Vulcanite cells, expanding and contracting very nearly the same as glass 

 with differences of temperature, are preferable. Of course, the cells may 

 be finished off afterwards with any of the usual cements. 



The method does not require any turntable, brushes, or other of the 

 usual apparatus; it is claimed to be inexpensive, rapid, effectual, and 

 permanent. 



Experiments with Media of High Refractive Index.| — Mr. W. Morris 

 has made a large number of experiments on mounting media of high re- 

 fractive index, the object used being AmpMpleura pellucida. The paper 



* Boll. E. Ace. Med. Eoma, xi. (188.5) No. 7. t Eng. Mech., xliv. (1887) p. 148. 

 X Jouin. and Proc. E. Sue. N. S. Wales, xix. (188G) pp. 121-33. 



