Outlines of lacunæ and canaliculi are dark blue; ground-substance a light or greenish blue; cellular elements a diffuse blue. Schmorl advises this method for growing bone; in rickets the well-ossified areas alone stain well. Both of the Schmorl methods can be used for the study of teeth as well.
Staining of Sharpey’s Fibres (v. Kölliker).
1. Harden, decalcify, imbed, cut.
2. Place section in strong acetic acid until it becomes transparent.
3. Stain in a saturated watery solution of indigo carmine for 15-16 seconds.
4. Wash in water; mount in glycerin.
Fibres red; ground-substance blue.
III. CARTILAGE.
Cartilage stains deeply with hæmatoxylin; with Weigert’s fibrin stain it holds the blue; with thionin and polychrome methylene-blue stains for mucin cartilage stains metachromatically red.
IV. CONNECTIVE TISSUES.