The principles of bacteriology : a practical manual for students and physicians / by A.C. Abbott.

  • Abbott, A. C. (Alexander Creever), 1860-1935.
Date:
1896
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The principles of bacteriology : a practical manual for students and physicians / by A.C. Abbott. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    165/520 (page 161)
    up tlie gap that would otherwise be left in the process, for a section cannot be mounted in balsam directly from alcohol; the two bodies do not mix perfectly. A number of clearing agents are in general use; in fact, almost all the essential oils come under this head. There is one—oil of cloves—which is very commonly used in histological work, but it must not be employed in tissues containing bacteria. It not only extracts too much color from the bacteria, but causes them to fade after the sections have been mounted for a time. When the section thus stained and mounted is ex- amined microscopically, it may be found that the tissues still possess so much color that the bacteria are not visible, in which case they have not been decolorized sufficiently; or, on the other hand, both bacteria and tissues may have parted with their stains—then decol- orization has been carried too far. In either case the fault must be remedied in the manipulation of the next section to be mounted. In short, the steps in the process of staining sections in general are these : a. From alcohol into distilled water for one minute. b. Into the staining fluid for from five to eight minutes. c. Into water for from three to five minutes. d. Into 0.1 per cent, acetic acid for about one-half minute. e. Into absolute alcohol for a few seconds. /. Into absolute alcohol again for a few seconds. g. Xylol for about oue-half minute. h. Eemoval with spatula or section-lifter to slide. i. Removal of excess of xylol. '/. Mounting in xylol-balsam.