Feulgen's Reaction and some of its Applications for Botanical Material

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Abstract
A brief description of Feulgen's reaction is given. Normally treated sections of apple buds, roots of Pandanus, Narcissus, cabbage infested with Plasmodiophora brassicae, etc., algae, intestine, kidney and testes, and smears of yeasts were studied. Acids and alkalies were used to alter the chemical composition of chromatin and in thus doing a check-up for chromatin, was feasible. Nucleoli never reacted, except when sections were specially treated. Lignin, suberin and cutin were observed to react in normally treated tissue no matter which of the several fixatives was used, if any. A procedure for their detection, with a possible explanation for the reaction, is offered. Seven strains of yeasts were tested. All showed a positive reaction with a more or less fusiform purplish nucleus. Unhydrolyzed yeasts showed a number of reddish granules under the action of the fuchsin sulfurous acid. In contrast to Feulgen's reaction, this color (red, not purple) is apparently due to simple oxidation and not to the presence of aldehydes.