Monthly Microscoplcall 
Journal, Feb. 1, 1869. J 
Boyal Microscopical Society, 
97 
blotting-paper, and then gently laid on the surface of the carbolic 
acid. This renders a thin section perfectly transparent in about 
half-a-minute. The superfluous carbohc acid should then be got 
rid of by tilting the slide and applying a small piece of blotting- 
paper to the edge of the specimen ; this done, two or three drops 
of chloroform should be poured over the section and allowed to re- 
main in contact with it about one minute, and during this time the 
specimen may be properly arranged in the centre of the slide. A 
slight tilting of the slide then suffices to get rid of the chloroform, 
when, before the specimen becomes dry, two or three drops of the 
solution of Canada balsam in benzole should be poured over it from 
the drop-bottle, and the covering-glass then applied. The mounting 
is thus finished, and the specimen only requires a certain amount 
of protection for a time till the balsam in which it is mounted has 
become hardened. 
Ind Method. — The section having been placed in the watch- 
glass with ordinary spirits of wine for about a minute (merely to 
wash it), is then removed to another watch-glass, or small covered 
capsule, containing absolute alcohol, and allowed to remain in this 
for five minutes. It is then to be removed and placed on the slide 
on which it is to be mounted. The superfluous alcohol having been 
got rid of, it is covered with one or two drops of benzole for about a 
minute (which renders the section as transparent as if it had been 
placed in carbolic acid), and then, this having been tilted off, the 
additional steps are as before, viz. Canada balsam in benzole from 
the drop-bottle, followed by the application of the covering glass. 
These methods yield about equally good results, but the first 
method, which I think most would prefer, does not always answer for 
sections of liver, and therefore we are obliged to adopt the second 
when dealing with this organ. The sections of liver generally 
shrivel, and become gelatinous when placed in carbolic acid, though 
I have not found the same thing occur with any other tissue. 
Even untinted specimens undergo little change when mounted 
in this way, but still they keep so satisfactorily after tinting, that 
I am disposed to recommend these methods, principally for the 
preservation of specimens that have been previously tinted, re- 
serving a diff'erent treatment for the untinted specimens, 
I have also tried the ordinary spirit-varnish of commerce, 
as a medium for mounting and preserving microscopic specimens. 
Although having the colour of dark-brown sherry when seen in 
mass, the thin stratum of this solution between the two glasses 
comes to be practically colourless. The process for mounting in 
this medium is exceedingly simple — the section only requires to be 
soaked in spirits of wine for about five minutes, so as to abstract all 
water ; then it should be placed on the centre of the glass slide, a 
few drops of the spirit-varnish poured over it, and the covering 
