"SUPERIOR METHOD OF STAINING TUBERCLE BACILLI"

To the Editor:

—InThe Journal, April 14, p. 1092, Dr. Peter Mjedloff requests some further information concerning a bacillary stain in general use at the Kula Sanitarium. The stain to which he refers apparently is the stain designated as Much's granular stain. The stain which is in use at the sanatorium is identical with Much's stain, differing, however, in the fact that the Lugol's solution is used first on the prepared smear and this is then followed by the gentian-violet stain. After destaining with acid in the usual way, counterstaining in Much's technic is by means of a 1 per cent. methylene blue solution, although any other counterstain or dye, such as pyronin, may be used. In the usual staining technic this method of staining the tubercle bacilli is not considered superior to the carbolfuchsin or Ziehl-Neelsen method for detecting the bacilli if in their integrity. It is only