Basic Fuchsin as A Nuclear Stain

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Abstract
Aqueous basic fuchsin has been shown to be an excellent, though impermanent, stain with which to study the nuclei of Blastomyces dermatitidis, and other fungi. The conditions under which formaldehyde acts as a mordant for basic fuchsin and produces a permanent nuclear stain have been established. Comparison of crystal violet and basic fuchsin suggests that the mordanting action of the aldehyde operates through the para-amino groups in the dye. Certain other basic dyes were not mordanted by formaldehyde. Gentle acid hydrolysis of the tissues has been found to be essential both to the specificity of the dye as a nuclear stain and to the mordanting effect of the aldehyde.