702 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
and dropping it suddenly into the warm killing reagent. Eight carmine 
solutions were tried, but the only one which was useful for staining 
was Mayer’s hydrochloric acid carmine, after prolonged immersion. All 
hematoxylin solutions stain well, but require more time than usual. 
In imbedding in paraffin it is necessary to keep the temperature low. 
Series cut in paraffin of 50°-52° were in all respects most successful. 
The infiltration must be complete, but a long immersion in paraffin 
renders the objects very brittle. Maceration was tried on preserved 
material with little success. Great assistance was derived from the study 
of portions of the body which had been cleared in clove-oil before staining. 
Examination of Lucernariidse.* — Dr. G. Antipa found picrocar- 
mine and Beale’s carmine the best staining reagents, but good results 
were obtained with osmic acid and gold chloride; for the last Lo wit’s 
or Viallanes’ methods may be used. For the study of the separate 
epithelial cells macerations were chiefly effected by Hertwig’s mixture of 
0 • 05 per cent, osmic acid 1 part, and 0 • 2 per cent, acetic acid 2 parts. 
Method of Examining Blood, Bone-Marrow, and Body Juices.f — 
Dr. R. Muir makes blood films on cover-glasses, and then before the 
film can dry it is placed face downwards on the surface of a saturated 
solution of sublimate with 3/4 per cent, of sodium chloride added, for 
about half an hour. If the solution be heated to 50° C. it acts better. 
The cover-glass is next washed in 3/4 per cent, salt solution, and then 
passed through successive strengths of alcohol. After this it may be 
stained in the usual manner and with the staining solutions used for 
sections. 
Bone-marrow is lightly dabbed on the cover-glass, not spread, so as 
to form a thin layer, and then treated as above. 
New Method of Preparing Dentine.^ — 'Dr. W. Lepkowski finds 
that the following modification of Ranvier’s fluid serves excellently well 
for simultaneously softening and staining dentine and also bone. 
In a mixture composed of 6 parts of a 1 per cent, watery solution 
of gold chloride and 3 parts pure formic acid are placed pieces of teeth 
1/2 - 3/4 mm. thick. 
The little bits of teeth, obtained by means of a hand-saw, have, after 
an immersion in the foregoing fluid for 24 hours, the consistence of 
cork, and can be easily cut with a razor. When removed from the 
solution the pieces of teeth are first washed with distilled water, and 
then placed in a mixture of gum arabic and glycerin for 24 hours. On 
removal from this last reagent, the pieces are again washed with dis- 
tilled water and then with alcohol, after which they may be imbedded in 
celloidin or paraffin and sectioned. 
This procedure is much better adapted for fresh teeth than for those 
which have been kept for any length of time. 
The method is also applicable to bone, thin slices of which are de- 
calcified within 24 hours. 
Preparation of Vegetable Tissues.§ — Mr. A. Flatters gives detailed 
instructions in the use of the microtome and the cutting of sections 
* Zool. JB., vi. (1892) p. 379. t Journ. Anat. and Physiol., xxvi. (1892) p. 393. 
% Anat. Anzeig., vii. (1892) pp. 274-82 (1 pi.). 
§ Trans. Manchester Micr, Soc., 1891, pp. 38-47 (1 pi,). 
