8. Absolute alcohol; xylol; balsam.
Instead of the watery hæmatoxylin solution a mixture of hæmatoxylin 1 grm., alcohol 10 cc., and water 90 cc. may be used. Keep four weeks before using. Stain 24-36 hours. For contrast staining a weak solution of Bordeaux red may be used before the iron-alum and hæmatoxylin, staining 24 hours.
XVIII. MUCIN. Mucin stains a deep blue or reddish-violet with an over-ripe hæmatoxylin. When counterstained with picric acid very beautiful preparations can be obtained. Mucin also gives a metachromatic reaction with kresyl-echt-violett, thionin, toluidin-blue and polychrome methylene-blue, staining red with these stains. Water or carbolic-acid solutions of these stains may be used; dehydrate in absolute alcohol, clear in xylol, and mount in balsam. In my opinion Morse’s Carbol-kresyl-echt-violett method as given above for amyloid is the best of these metachromatic reactions. Muchæmatein and mucicarmin give the most delicate reactions.
1. Mayer’s Muchaematein.
1. Absolute alcohol fixation is preferable.
2. Stain sections in Mayer’s solution (hæmatein O.2 grm. mixed with a few drops of glycerin, O.1 grm. of aluminum chloride, 40 cc. of glycerin, 60 cc. of water) for 5-10 minutes.
3. Wash in water.
4. Dehydrate in absolute alcohol; xylol; balsam.
Carmine may be used for counterstaining; mucin is blue. Should the mucin swell in the stain replace water and glycerin with 100 cc. of 70 per cent alcohol and 1-2 drops of nitric acid.
2. Mayer’s Mucicarmin.