238 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
The specimen is then transferred to 1 per cent, solution of formic acid 
for 24 hours. During this time the preparation must be exposed to the 
light, and for 6—8 hours to direct sunlight. The preparations are to be 
mounted in gummi syrup (gum dextrin) or in strong glycerin. 
When the preparations are fixed, the following method is adopted. 
The objects are fixed in sublimate or sublimate-alcohol. The sublimate 
is removed by iodopotassic iodide solution, and then the objects are 
transferred to strong alcohol, after which they are immersed in the 
following solution of iodine 0* * * § 5 per cent., iodide of potassium 1 per 
cent, in 95 per cent, alcohol, until the solution becomes yellow. After 
all the iodopotassic iodide has been removed by absolute alcohol, the 
object is imbedded in the usual way, and series of sections made. 
The sections on the slide are immersed in 1 per cent, solution of 
aurum chloratum flavum for 24 hours. The sections are next immersed 
in distilled water for a short time, and then placed in tubes filled with 
1 per cent, formic acid for 24 hours. After removal the sections are 
washed in distilled water and mounted in glycerin or balsam. 
(6) Miscellaneous. 
Method for Restoring the Spiking of Anthrax.* — Mr. R. Muir has 
found that the “spiking” of Bacillus Anthracis may be restored by 
making a culture from an old non-spiking organism on freshly prepared 
blood-agar tubes, and incubating for 24 hours at 37° 0. Subcultures from 
this in 10 per cent, gelatin-pepton are incubated for two days at 20°, 
and then show the spiking well. 
Orienting very Small Objects. f — Dr. R. W. Hoffman gives a modi- 
fication and improvement of Patten’s method for orienting very small 
objects. Instead of paper the author uses strips of glass, about 2-2 * 5 
cm. long and 0*5-0 *75 cm. broad, upon which the objects are stuck, and 
employs Patten’s adhesive as an imbedding mass. The collodion-clove- 
oil mixture is made by putting equal parts of collodion and clove oil 
into a wide-mouthed bottle and allowing it to stand for about 24 hours 
in an airy place. It is next treated with xylol, which produces a per- 
fectly clear and yellowish substance. The chief advantage of this 
adhesive-imbedding medium is that orienting becomes easy, more especi- 
ally if the object be well stained. The objects are placed in position 
with needles. If necessary fine lines are easily scratched on the glass. 
Metal-Mixture for Adhering to Glass.f— A metal-mixture which 
will adhere firmly to glass and can be used for soldering glass together 
is made by mixing 95 per cent, tin and 5 per cent. zinc. The melting- 
point of this alloy is about 200°. The glass is previously heated to this 
temperature, and then the mixture spread over by means of the soldering 
iron. An allo;v of 9 parts tin and 1 part aluminium may be used for the 
same purpose ; but it has the disadvantage of having a higher melting- 
point, viz. 390°. 
Double Capsule fo Bacteriological Purposes.§ — Herr A. Bau has 
devised a capsule which is intended to prevent the access of germs from 
* Journ. Pathol, and Bacteriol., v. (1898) p. 374. 
f Zeitschr. f. wiss. Mikr., xv. (1899) pp. 312-6. Cf. this Journal, 1894, p. 534. 
J Internal Patentbureau. See Zeitschr. f. angew. Mikr., iv. (1898) pp. 218-9. 
§ Centralbl. Bakt. u. Par., 2‘* Abt., iv. (1898) pp. 645-6 (1 fig.). 
