PBA Galleries

xii, 63, [5], 65-171, [1 errata] pp. With 34 folding plates– an unnumbered hand-colored plate inserted before p. 23,  and 33 plates at the end, numbered I-XXII with a XXIII b [i.e. bis]. (4to) 24x20 cm (9½x7½") period olive boards with red spine label stamped in gilt. First Edition.

In 1778 Gleichen-Russworm made his most important contribution to science. In Abhandlung über die Saamen - und Infusionsthierchen, he described the technique of phagocytic staining, which he had developed from earlier reports of the use of dyes as coloring agents for plant and animal tissues. In order to study the nutrition of a colony of ciliates, he added water colored with carmine and observed the subsequent staining of the food vacuoles, of which he provided an illustration. This technique did not become generally known until described by a number of 19th century biologists, notably Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg, Theodor Hartig, and Joseph von Gerlach.”-DSB V, p. 424. “Gleichen was probably the first to attempt to stain bacteria; he used carmine and indigo.”--Garrison-Morton 2465. Blake, p. 177. Roper Catalogue, p. 33. Not in Wellcome. Scarce.