ELECTRON AND LIGHT MICROSCOPIC STUDIES OF BACTERIAL NUCLEI II

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Abstract
A modified technic for demonstrating bacterial chromatin is presented. It is simple in application; allows prepns. to be made with greater rapidity; the prepns. have increased keeping qualities and, it is believed, present a sharper definition of the chromatinic bodies. The technic consists of fixation in 2% osmium tetraoxide vapor, treatment in normal HCl, mordanting in 1% formaldehyde, and staining in 0.3% aqueous basic fuchsin. Structures stained by this mordanted-basic fuchsin technic appear to be more delicate in structure than Giemsa-stained struc-tures and the formaldehyde mordant increases the intensity of the stain and the keeping qualities of the prepn. The importance of the hydrolysis period and the consequence of over fixation is discussed. The technic has been found to be generally applicable.