USE OF POLYVINYL ALCOHOL IN SOLUTION FOR PERMANENT MOUNTING OF FUNGI

In an attempt to produce a convenient solution for permanent mounting of fungi, I substituted an aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol for glycerin in a combination similar to Amaun's lactophenol as described in "An Introduction to Medical Mycology" by Lewis and Hopper.1Polyvinyl alcohol has been used for embedding histological specimens and has been described by several writers since 1942. Formulas similar to the one I present here have been used by others. I have found that a preparation comprised of liquefied phenol U. S. P., 20 per cent; lactic acid sirup, 20 per cent, and an aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution, 60 per cent, with méthylène blue added for color contrast, as desired, seems to be satisfactory for making a permanent slide mount. This solution has now been tested for five months. The slide is clear, and the cover glass is attached firmly. The method of preparation is as