An Improved Differential Elastic Tissue Stain

Three years ago I described¹a new method for staining elastic tissue that had given me more satisfactory results than any of those usually employed. More extended experience with this method has shown that the best results are to be obtained only when the staining fluid is freshly prepared. Not only is this a source of inconvenience, but it entails considerable expense, owing to the large amount of hematoxylin required. After much experimentation, in which it seemed to me I tried every conceivable modification, including the substitution of almost all the metals for iron, I finally devised, about a year ago, the method here described. This method has the advantages over the previous one, that the staining fluid is made up from stock solutions, that about one-ninth as much hematoxylin is required, and that when carefully carried out, precipitates may be avoided and differentiation of the sections is not