260 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
plasm through cell-walls is by the careful boiling of sections mounted 
in Millon’s fluid. Preparations of endosperm made in this way may, 
after thorough washing and mounting in glycerin, be kept for years. 
The application of heat is necessary for only a few seconds. 
Demonstration of Intergranular Network.* — Prof. Altmann uses 
a 2^ per cent, solution of molybdic acid ammonia, plus a small quantity 
(about 1/4 per cent.) of free chromic acid. In this mixture the fresh 
organs are left for about 24 hours, then placed in alcohol, and thence 
into pure paraffin. The sections were stained as usual with haematoxylin, 
gentian, &c. 
Blood.t — Dr. A. Spuler investigated the mesenteries of young mice 
and rabbits, which were spread out on cork plates, and fixed with picro- 
acetic-osmic acid (1000 ccm. picric, 6 ccm. acetic, 1/2 grm. osmic). 
After gradations of alcohol, they were stained with haematoxylin, 
Ehrlicli-Biondi’s mixture, and eosin, and cleared in clove oil. 
Bone-cutting Machine.^ — Prof. J. Csokor and Herr A. Csokor have 
devised a machine which cuts sections of bone thin enough (*12 mm.) to 
be at once examined microscopically. A circular saw rotates very 
rapidly ; a self-steering arrangement draws the object slowly but per- 
sistently against the cutting edge ; and there are devices perfecting 
what is in principle very simple. 
Preserving Larvae of Ascidians.§ — Mr. A. Willey finds that the 
best results are to be obtained by using Davidoff’s mixture of 3 parts 
concentrated corrosive sublimate, and 1 part glacial acetic ; the shrink- 
ing tendency of the former is neutralized by the swelling power of the 
latter ingredient. 
Examination of Eyes of Arthropods.|] — M. H. Viallanes fixed the 
eyes of the Crustacea he studied very satisfactorily by means of absolute 
alcohol; but he prefers a watery solution of sublimate acidified by 
acetic acid; the proportions he used were distilled water 100 parts, 
bichloride of mercury 5 parts, and acetic acid 5 parts. After maceration 
for some hours in this liquid the object was plunged into 70 per cent, 
alcohol, in which it was left for three or four hours. Perfect depigmen- 
tation is very difficult, as all the reagents used are very apt to alter the 
tissues. The method he recommends is this ; take a test-tube closed 
with a guttapercha cork, pass through this a tube with a ball, twice 
curved and provided with a mercury valve. At the bottom of the vessel 
place crystals of chlorate of potash and some drops of hydrochloric 
acid ; this mixture will give off a large amount of chlorine ; the test- 
tube is then placed in a larger tube half filled with a mixture of equal 
parts of absolute alcohol, glycerin, and water ; the cork is then put in. 
The chlorine is gradually dissolved in the glycerin mixture, and acts on 
the pigment; this will, in a few hours, disappear completely without 
affecting the tissues in any way. When the removal of the pigment is 
complete the piece of eye is placed in 90 per cent, alcohol, renewed as 
often as is necessary to get rid of the last traces of chlorine. 
* Yerh. Anat. Ges., vi. (1892) pp. 220-24. 
f Archiv f. Mikr. Anat., xl. (1892 ) pp. 530-52 (1 pi.), 
t Yer. Anat. Ges., vi. (1892) pp. 270-1. 
§ Quart. Journ. Micr. Sci., xxxiv. (1893) p. 319. 
1| Ann. Sci. Nat., xiii. (1892) pp. 354-7. 
