REAGENTS 
39 
Eycleshymer’s Clearing Fluid.—This is a mixture of equal parts 
of bergamot oil, cedar oil, and carbolic acid. It clears readily from 
95 per cent alcohol, and consequently is useful in clearing celloidin 
sections when it is desirable to preserve the celloidin matrix. In 
sections stained with haematoxylin, or haematoxylin and eosin, the 
stain may be removed completely from the matrix by the use of 
acid alcohol, and the matrix may be preserved by clearing from 95 
per cent alcohol. 
It is not intended that the mixture should be used to precede 
infiltration with paraffin. 
Other Clearing Agents.—Bergamot oil, carbolic acid, turpentine, 
benzine, gasoline, and other reagents have been tried for clearing, 
but none seem to be worth more than a warning mention. 
MISCELLANEOUS REAGENTS 
Canada Balsam is used almost exclusively for mounting Very 
thick balsam is disagreeable to handle and makes unsatisfactory 
mounts. Very thin balsam, in drying out, allows bubbles to run 
under the cover. Xylol is cheaper than balsam, and consequently 
the balsam on the market is likely to be too thin for immediate use. 
The stopper may be left out until the balsam acquires the proper 
consistency. Balsam must not be acid. If there is the slightest 
acid reaction, most stains will fade. 
Paraffin should be of at least two grades, a soft paraffin melting 
at 40° to 45° C., and a hard paraffin melting at 52° to 54°C. Griibler’s 
paraffin and most imported paraffins melt at the temperature indicated 
on the wrappers. The melting-point indicated on the wrappers 
of paraffins sold by some American dealers does not enable one to 
make even a guess as to the real melting-point. Paraffin marked 
70° C. may melt at 60° C., and other grades are likely to melt before 
the temperature indicated on the labels is reached. The fact that 
the price rises with the melting-point may explain the discrepancy. 
Test every grade with a thermometer. If it is desired to get a 
paraffin melting at 52° C. and your sample melts at 50° C., add a 
little paraffin with a melting-point above 52° C.; if the sample melts 
at 55° C., add a little with a melting-point below 52° C. 
Paraffin may be used repeatedly. Keeping it in the liquid con¬ 
dition in the bath month after month is an advantage, since it 
becomes more and more tenacious and homogeneous. 
