176 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
modified eau de Javelle, made by mixing two solutions. The first is 
composed of calcium hypochlorite 6 grm. in 60 grm. of water. The 
second is composed of 12 grm. of potassium carbonate dissolved in 
40 grm. of water, and after filtration is mixed witb the first solution. 
The combination is stirred up for some time, then filtered and preserved 
in blue glass bottles. After the film has been prepared and stained in 
the] usual way, the cover-glass is immersed in the Javelle decoloriser 
until it looks brownish-yellow. 
Decoloration of Celloidin in Orcein Preparations.* — It is very 
difficult, says Prof. P. Schiefferdecker, to decolorise the celloidin when 
celloidin-sections are stained with orcein to show the elastic fibres. 
This inconvenience may be avoided by transferring the preparations, 
after they have been decolorised in hydrochloric acid alcohol, to water 
containing some liq. ammon. caustici. In this the sections become blue 
and give up some pigment. As soon as the dye ceases to be given off, 
the preparations are put back into the hydrochloric acid alcohol. The 
process is to be repeated until the celloidin is sufficiently decolorised. 
Staining Centrosomes.j — Dr. R. Marchesini recommends, for a 
study of centrosomes and attraction-spheres in the leucocytes of the 
newt, a thorough mixture of 1 part of malachite-green solution to 2 parts 
of saifran in-green. 
(5) Mounting-, including- Slides, Preservative Fluids, &c. 
Marking Preparations.^— Prof. P. Schiefferdecker advises that slides 
should be permanently marked in black or white by writing on the glass 
and then varnishing the surface. The liquid Chinese ink does well for 
the black, while Eremser white or permanent Chinese white is recom- 
mended for white. The Eremser white should be rubbed up with a 
sufficient quantity of gum-water. When the writing is dry it should be 
brushed over with water-colour varnish. 
Herr E. Schoebel § points out that the method proposed by 
Schiefferdecker of writing on glass with Indian ink and then varnishing 
over, is much the same as that used for many years at the Zoological 
Station of Naples; here, however, the writing is done over the varnish. 
Schiefferdecker’ s objections to the author’s method || of writing on glass 
, with a mixture of sodium silicate and fluid Indian ink are answered. 
(6) Miscellaneous. 
Plate Modelling.! — Dr. A. Schaper, in preparing his models, uses 
Born’s ** method, but takes special precautions for properly orientating 
the object, so that sections are made in known and definite directions. 
The details of the method, as applied to embryos, are described at 
length. 
* Zeitsclir. f. wiss. Mikr., xiii. (1896) p. 302. 
t Boll. Soc. Rom. Stud. Zool., v. (1896) pp. 89-96 (1 pi.). 
% Zeitsclir. f. wiss. Mikr., xiii. (1896) pp. 299-301. 
§ Tom cit., pp. 425-8. 
|| Op. cit., xi. (1894) p. 331. Cf. tliis Journal, 1895, p. 707. 
! Zeitschr. f. wiss. Mikr., xiii. (1897) pp. 446-59 (10 figs.). 
** This Journal, 1889, p. 144. 
