STAIN FOR MYELIN SHEATHS IN TISSUES EMBEDDED IN PARAFFIN

Abstract

Although methods for staining myelin sheaths in material embedded in paraffin have been described,¹there has not been found in the literature to date a technic that does not require differentiation. In working with the modification of the Pal-Weigert stain described by Clark and Ward,²it was observed that their method, when applied to sections embedded in paraffin, resulted in a selective stain of the myelin sheaths. The material on which this stain has been used was obtained at autopsies performed as a routine by the department of pathology of the Vanderbilt University Hospital. None of the material was specially selected. The time that elapsed between death and autopsy varied from one to fourteen hours. <h3>REAGENTS</h3> Four per cent solution of iron alum (iron and ammonium sulfate) in distilled water. This may be made up in bulk and kept indefinitely, until needed, or a 40 per cent solution