ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
251 
better with aqueous solutions. Chlorine and bromine water increased 
the power of anilin-water fuchsin, and somewhat decreased that of 
aqueous fuchsin. Bromine vapour was detrimental to spores and 
bacilli; while chlorine gas seemed to make the spores and bacilli of 
B. subtilis and the drumstick bacillus stain more easily. Formalin 
and iodopotassic iodide solution had no effect ; and sunlight diminished 
the stainability of subtilis bacilli and spores. Chlorine gas was detri- 
mental to typhoid bacilli for aqueous fuchsin solution, and bromine 
vapour destroyed the cell-plasma. The effect of the agents used was 
to make diphtheria bacilli swell up, and their staining paler. 
= New Haematoxylin-Stain.* — The following process is recommended 
by Herr M. Baciborski. Leave the preparation for from 2-20 minutes 
in Delafield’s haematoxylin ; then wash with water, and for 2-5 minutes 
with iron-alum, then again with water, alcohol, and toluol, and imbed 
in canada-balsam. This process affords very good results for botanical 
purposes, and has the advantage of a great saving of time. Secondary 
staining with saffranin (in anilin water), and washing in 1 per cent, 
alcoholic acetic acid, affords a good double-stain. 
Flagella Staining.! — Mr. D. McCrorie stains flagella with “ night- 
blue,” an anilin pigment which shows as well in artificial as in sun- 
light. The formula used is, 10 ccm. of a concentrated solution of 
night-blue, 10 ccm. of a 10 per cent, solution of alum, and 10 ccm. of a 
10 per cent, solution of tannic acid. The addition of 0-1-0 *2 grm. of 
gallic acid seems to impart additional value, but excellent results are 
obtainable without it. The method adopted is to dry the film in an 
incubator for two minutes ; then pour on the stain and incubate again 
for two minutes, or hold the cover for the same time about two feet 
above a Bunsen burner ; wash off the excess of stain, and, after drying- 
in an incubator, mount in balsam. 
(6) Miscellaneous. 
Method of extemporising a Blowpipe for making Sedimentation 
Tubes.! — Prof. A. E. Wright and Surgeon-Major D. Semple use an ordi- 
nary spray producer, such for instance as an ether freezing apparatus ; 
the reservoir is filled with methylated spirit. The flame produced in 
this way is quite hot enough for any ordinary glass-working apparatus. 
It is quite hot enough to draw out glass tubing into capillary sero-sedi- 
mentation tubes. Only two points in connection with the working of 
the flame required to be attended to, viz. (1) the spirit must be finely 
divided, i.e. the spray must not be too coarse, otherwise the flame will 
not be sufficiently hot ; (2) the spirit must be fed into the spray tube in 
sufficient quantity and in a regular manner. 
Botanical Application of the Rontgen Rays.§ — Herr J. Istvanffy 
has experimented on the effect of the light of Crookes’s vacuum-tubes on 
plants. He finds that the rays penetrate only the woody tissue, as can 
be made manifest in a leaf of Camellia , the veins of which appear white 
* Flora, lxxxiii. (1897) p. 75. 
t Brit. Med. Journ., 1897, i. p. 974. % Tom. cit., p. 1215. 
§ SB. K. Ungar. Naturw. Gesell. Buda-Pest, Feb. 12, 1897. See Bot. Centralbl., 
xlix. (1897) p. 267. 
