Comments on the history of the Biological Stain Commission, Inc.

Nearly 89 years ago, the Society of American Bacteriologists appointed Dr. Harold Conn to form a committee to standardize the stains and dyes used in biological and medical research and diagnosis. Dr. Conn's efforts led to formation of the Committee on the Standardization of Biological Stains, later incorporated as the Biological Stain Commission. This article traces some of the events and factors that shaped the course of the Biological Stain Commission into its current form and functions. Its principal function is to ensure that the biological and medical communities have access to high quality, dependable and consistent biological dyes and stains.