A Method of Rapid Staining of Intestinal Flagellates

so in the case of very minute flagellates. Shortt (1923) fixed wet films of flagellates by exposing the film to the vapour of 4 per cent osmic acid solution and subsequently stained the dry film with Giemsa after the manner of blood films. This method produces excellent results, and the flagellates, however minute, stand out very clearly. This method, however, involves the use of an expensive material, viz, osmic acid. Noller's method, as quoted by Stitt et al. (1938), involves the use of a fixative and, after washing with water and saline, the film has to be immersed in clear sterile serum (e.g., that of the horse) for 5 to 10 minutes and then fixed again in absolute alcohol before staining according to the blood film technique. This method takes time and, in addition, it, is difficult to ensure that sterile serum shall be always ready to hand.