This laboratory was asked some months ago by Dr. U. J. Wile of the department of dermatology and syphilology of the University Hospital whether our method of staining spirochetes could be applied to the clots obtained from spinal fluid by the Alzheimer method. On our assurance that the Warthin-Starry silver-agar method for staining sections mounted on cover-glasses could be applied to sections of such spinal fluid coagula, with certain modifications to ensure proper fixation of any spirochetes contained in them, the following research was undertaken in conjunction with Dr. Wile's clinic.
Spinal fluid was obtained from the patients in the university clinic of syphilology and the coagula at once prepared by the Alzheimer method and the kaolin and aluminum cream modifications, as described by Dr. Wile in a paper to be published. These coagula were then brought to the pathological laboratory, fixed in 10 per cent, formaldehyd solution, embedded in