GOMORI'S PARALDEHYDE-FUCHSIN STAIN. I. PHYSICO-CHEMICAL AND STAINING PROPERTIES OF THE DYE

Abstract

Evidence is provided to support the following hypothesis on the nature of Gomori''s paraldehyde-fuchsin dye: (1) In the preparation of the dye, the paraldehyde depolymerizes in the presence of HC1 to give acetaldehyde; (2) the latter condenses with the open amino groups of the basic fuchsin molecules to form azomethines (Schiff''s bases), and (3) this results in the addition of unsaturated groups to the basic fuchsin molecules, thus causing the change in color and in spectrophotometric analysis. The new dye, upon aging, eventually possesses an absorption spectrum similar, though not identical, to that of methyl violet 2B and of crystal violet.