22 MICRO-ORGANISMS AND DISEASE [chap. 



tending over the whole body at each end and at right angles 

 from the cylindrical body. 



The method of flagella staining which both in Dr. Kan- 

 thack's laboratory, and owing to his initiative also in my 

 laboratory, is used with facility and with unequivocal success' 

 is that described by van Ermengem, which I copy from Dr. 

 Kanthack's manual. It ought to be stated that I have seen 

 specimens, prepared by beginners, of culture of bacillus coli 

 and of typhoid bacilli, which showed the flagella in a manner 

 and quantity that can without exaggeration be described as 

 striking. But in all these cases it must be added that they 

 were prepared without deviating in any essential point from 

 van Ermengem's prescription. The flagella appear not as 

 prolongations of the protoplasm of the bacteria as generally 

 supposed, but seem to be part or outgrowths of the sheath 

 itself. 



The method is this ^ : — 



Staining of Flagella (Van Ermengem). 



Prepare the following solutions : 



(a) Osmic acid (2 per cent, solution) i part. 



Tannin (10 to 25 per cent, solution) . . 2 parts. 



To each 100 cc. of the tannin solution add four or five drops of 

 glacial acetic acid. 

 (3) Nitrate of silver ( '25 to '5 per cent solution). 

 (7) Gallic acid ... 5 grammes. 



Tannin , ... 3 grammes. 



Fused acetate of soda 10 grammes. 



Distilled water . . . 3^0 cc. 



Boil the cover-slips to be used in the following solution : — 

 Potassium bichromate .... 60 grammes. 



Concentrated sulphuric acid . 60 grammes. 



Water . 1000 cc. 



^ l-'rom Practical Pathology, Kantliack and Drysdale, pp. 38 and 39 



