ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
273 
Organs were well fixed and adapted for sections after having been 
fixed in a cold saturated solution of bichloride of mercury, to which 
5, 10, or even 20 per cent, of (crystallized) acetic acid were added. 
Many staining reagents were used and served as controls on one another. 
Preparation of Cestodes.* * * § — Dr. C. W. Stiles states that the fixation 
of Cestodes for the Bureau of Animal Industry has lately been effected 
by adding 50 parts of alcohol of 70 per cent, and a few drops of glacial 
acetic acid to 50 parts of an aqueous solution of corrosive sublimate. 
The liquid was heated to 45° to 53° C., before adding; it was then 
allowed to cool for an hour or less ; the parasites were next washed in 
running water and passed through 30 per cent., 50 per cent., 70 per cent., 
95 per cent, and absolute alcohol. 
Investigation of Myxotheca.t — Herr F. Schaudinn recommends 
strongly a mixture of hot watery sublimate solution with twice the 
quantity of absolute alcohol ; the alcohol accelerates the entrance of the 
fluid, while the sublimate preserves the nucleus excellently. 
Method for Obtaining Haemin Crystals.J — Mr. J. Becker describes 
the following method for obtaining hsemin crystals from blood-stains 
mixed with rust. Place some rust in a test-tube, add a little 
powdered ammonium chloride, and pour over them a little strong solu- 
tion of ammonia. Cork the test-tube, and shake at frequent intervals. 
Filter, evaporate by gentle heat a little of the filtrate on a slide, add 
cover-glass, introduce glacial acetic acid, gently heat and allow to cool. 
If blood be present hsemin crystals will be seen under a high power. 
Demonstrating the Cancer Parasite. § — Dr. P. Foa found the best 
way to demonstrate the cancer parasite was to fix in Hermann’s solution, 
stain for 2-3 hours in a solution of five parts hsematoxylin and two parts 
saffranin in twenty parts water, the cell nuclei appearing red and the para- 
sites blue. The latter were distinguishable by the tone of the colour from 
different kinds of cell degeneration, fragmentation of the nuclei, and 
from paranuclei. In sixty carcinomas there were only twenty undoubted 
parasites, and there were special forms in each case. The author notes the 
presence of numerous granules, frequently in groups, and distinguished 
as cyanophilous and erythrophilous. He considers these are derived 
from the cell nuclei, from which they separate to form independent cells, 
and hence they may form a factor in carcinoma development. 
Preparing Sections of Living Cultivations without previous 
Hardening.]] — Dr. F. Winkler recommends the following method for 
obtaining sections of cultivations. Of paraffin the melting point of 
which is 42° he takes a block of a size sufficient to be easily fitted in a 
microtome clamp, and through this block makes a small hole with a fine 
cork-borer. By filling up one end with paraffin a culture-tube is made. 
The paraffin block is then laid in sublimate for one hour, after which 
* U.S. Dep. of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Industry, Bulletin No. 4, 1893, 
pp. 13 and 14. t Zeitschr. f. wiss. Zool., lvii. (1893) p. 19. 
X Brit. Med. Journ., 1894, No. 1729, p. 350. 
§ Archivio per le Scienze Med., xvii. p. 253; Arch. Ital. de Biol., xx. No. 1. See 
Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., xiv. (1893) p. 813. 
| Fortschr. d. Med., xi. (1893) No. 22. See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., 
xiv. (1893) pp. 814-5. 
