RAPID AND EASY METHOD FOR STAINING SPIROCHETES WITH FOUNTAIN PEN INK

Abstract

THERE are two major techniques for staining spirochetes.¹ One consists of impregnating the spirochetes with a dye or metallic ion and rendering it visible against a light background, e. g., by use of silver impregnation and carbol-methylviolet stain.² The other consists of rendering the unstained spirochetes visible by making the background black with staining, e. g., by using India ink preparations. Treponema pallidum from Case 11 stained with Parker 51 blue-black ink. The methods described in the past have all had the disadvantage of being rather complicated and time-consuming in preparation.³ Salles Gomes⁴ reported a simple technique of staining Treponema pertenue and other spirochetes with Parker 51 superchrome blue-black ink. This ink contains, according to the manufacturer, a special patented dye called diaminostilbene disulfonic acid coupled to two moles of 1-amino-8-naphthol-2,4 disulfonic (Chicago) acid. It also contains 0.67% sodium hydroxide. Unfortunately, no other details were