The first stainings were tried by A VAN LEEUWENHOEK (apparently in the years 1714-1719) and by R VIEUSSENS (about 1684) studying their objects with alcoholic saffron dyes (LEWIS FT, 1942). At last, genuine histological work began much later when T HARTIG, C WEIGERT, J GERLACH, P EHRLICH and H GIERKE started in the second half of the 19 century with their systematic studies of natural and synthe...