The Dioxan Technic

Abstract

Diozan is recommended in place of alcohols and clearing oils in paraffin embedding and in the staining of sections. It is unnecessary to dehydrate fresh dioxan before using and the insertion of other dehydrators and clearers into the series is illogical. Used dioxan (if employed for the sake of economy), should be dehydrated with CaO rather than with CaCl₂. A provisional dioxaniron-hematein method designed to avoid watery solutions is as follows: after removing paraffin in xylene, mordant 30 min. in 1% ferric chloride in 100% dioxan, rinse in 80% dioxan, stain in the following solution: dioxan, 40 cc.; water, 6 cc.; glacial acetic acid, 4 cc.; hematein, 5 g., saturated with potassium alum and filtered. Differentiate in 0.25% picric acid in 80% dioxan and alkalinize in 80% dioxan saturated with sodium bicarbonate. Rough determinations of the solubilities of various salts and dyes in dioxan are presented. A summary is given of the unpublished experiences of other workers with a variety of both plant and animal tissues. A brief historical account of the development of the dioxan technic is included. A summary of pharmacological studies indicates that dioxan is not dangerously toxic in concentrations likely to be encountered in the microtechnic laboratory.