Enhancement of contrast in living and fixed specimens by the use of fibre optics
A method is described which enhances the contrast of living and fixed specimens examined with the stereomicroscope. It consists of immersing the ends of flexible fibre optic light sources together with the specimen in the fluid used for examination. It is reported that not only does this method increase the contrast of living specimens but that it may also be applied to specimens being prepared as thin sections or freeze fracture surfaces for examination with the transmission electron microscope. A further method of enhancement of contrast is suggested which involves the fitting of light filters of complementary colours, one to each of the fibre optic light sources, before immersion with the specimen.
Contrast Methods in Microscopy: Rheinberg Illumination
In 1896, Julius Rheinberg introduced a color contrast method to the microscopy world. This method uses colored discs relatively near the back focal planes of the objective, or more commonly, near the aperture focal plane of the condenser to provide a colored specimen on a colored background. Almost any microscope can be modified to generate this style of imaging, which can be accomplished using a few practical options. The Rheinberg technique is a modification of the darkfield (or darkground) method of illumination and the color contrast enhances the visibility of specimens and their texture. It also provides an esthetically pleasing view of specimens worthy of photomicrography awards.
Hartley's Microscopy
This book presents an account of the ultrastructure of normal and diseased human liver with small additional chapters on mammalian gallbladder and bile ducts. It is profusely illustrated with over 240 photographs, the large majority being transmission electron micrographs of high quality. The small number of illustrations of light microscopic appearances are not very helpful and perhaps could have been omitted as the book will be of interest mainly to those with some special knowledge of liver pathology. In human liver disease, many ultrastructural changes are non-specific and of limited value in diagnosis, and this no doubt explains the rather uneven distribution of material, by far the largest section being devoted to relatively uncommon metabolic disorders which do possess specific electron microscopic features. The inclusion of a chapter on autoimmune liver disease separate from chapters on chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis is difficult to understand, and there are a few statements in the text which do not reflect modern views on liver pathology; perhaps these conform with Eastern European experience as three of the authors are writing from Hungary. There is a very extensive bibliography and it should be a valuable book of reference for those interested in liver ultrastructure.