BACTERIUM ANTHRACIS 73 
from the cultures. When carbol fuchsin is used for staining, the 
preparation should be wet before applying the stain. These 
are often spoken of as smear preparations. 
In making these preparations from blood, hold a cover glass 
by the edge with a pair of dissecting forceps. With the plat- 
inum loop place a drop of blood on the cover glass near the 
forceps. Take a thick, square cover glass by the edge, rest 
it on the first above the drop of blood, hold it at an angle 
of about 20° from it, and draw it down over the first, thus 
spreading the blood in a’very thin, even film over the surface. 
If the film is thick, the preparation should be rejected and 
another made. 
