10—THE USE OF FLUORESCENT STAINS FOR THE STUDY OF THE STRUCTURE OF ANIMAL FIBRES

An account is given of the use of fluorescence microscopy for the study of the structure of various animal fibres. Sections of wool, mohair, llama, cow-tail, and horse-tail fibres, which were either untreated or had had some chemical treatment, were stained with fluorescent stains; much more detail was shown by this technique than by other staining methods. Basic dyes (acridine orange, rhodamine B, rhodamine 3GO, and thioflavine T) stained the orthocortex and acid dyes (uranin and geranine G) the paracortex.