Correspondence

J.S.B. STAIN

Sir,?With reference to the correspondence by

Dr. S. S. Dighe under the above heading, published in
the October 1951 issue of your journal under 'Any
'
Questionsplease note that the J.S.B. Stain' has been
'
described in Knowles' Introduction to Medical
Protozoology (2nd ed., 1944) ', pages 311-312, as a post-
script.
But Dr. Dighe will be disappointed to learn that
he cannot altogether replace Leishman's stain by
J.S.B. stain in his laboratory because by this
method also thin films should be first fixed with methyl
alcohol, and it is this methyl alcohol which is at
present in short supply in the Indian market, and
not the Leishman's stain powder; prepared Leishman's
stain is a combined fixative and stain, and the methyl
alcohol used as a solvent in the preparation of the
stain, helps in fixing the blood-film as well.
Yours faithfully,
R. K. CHAKRAVARTY,
M.B., D.T.M. (Cal.),
Lt.-Col., I.M.S. (Late).