The microtomist's vade-mecum : a handbook of the methods of microscopic anatomy / by Arthur Bolles Lee.

Date:
1890
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The microtomist's vade-mecum : a handbook of the methods of microscopic anatomy / by Arthur Bolles Lee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    87. Acetate of Lead.— Both tlie neutral acetate (sugar of lead) and the basic acetate have been used for hardening nerve tissues. Anna Kotla- KEWSKY found that nerve-cells hardened in 10 per cent, solution of sugar of lead wei’e admirably preserved. See her “ Inaug.-Diss.,” in Mitth, d, naturf, Ges. Bern., 1887, and Zeit.f. loiss. Mik., iv, 3, 1887, p. 387. 88. Alcohol.—When used alone, alcohol is inferior as a hardening agent to most of the reagents discussed above; but when judiciously employed to complete the action of a good fixing agent, it renders most valuable services. 90 to 95 per cent, is the most generally useful strength. Weaker alcohol, down to 70 per cent., is often indicated. Absolute alcohol is seldom advisable. You ought to begin with weak, and proceed gi’adually to stronger, alcohol! Large quantities of alcohol should be taken. The alcohol should be frequently changed, or the tissue should be suspended near the top of the alcohol, in order to have the tissue constantly surrounded with pure spirit (the water and colloid matters extracted from the tissue falling to the bottom of the vessel). Many weeks may be necessary for hardening large specimens. Small pieces of permeable tissue, such as mucous membrane, may be suflBciently hardened in twenty-four hours. 89. Iodine may be used iu combination with alcohol, and render service through its great penetrating power. See the method of Betz, posi, Part II. 90. Pyridin.—Pyridin has been lately recommended as a hardening agent (by A. de Souza). It is said to harden, dehydrate, and clear tissues at the same time. They may be stained after hardening by anilin dyes dis- solved in the p3'ridin, or passed through water and stained by the usual pro- cesses. It is said to harden cpiickly, and to give particularly good results with brain. See Comptes Rendus hebd. de la Soc. de Biologie, 8 ser., t. iv, No. 3.5, p. 022 ; Zeit.f. wiss. Mik., v, i, 1888, ]>. 05 ; Journ. Boy. Mic. 8oc., 1888, p. 1054. 4