Subject(s)
Dermatology/history , Skin Diseases/history , Terminology as Topic , Anti-Bacterial Agents/history , Dermatology/statistics & numerical data , Eosine Yellowish-(YS)/history , Hexachlorocyclohexane/history , History, 16th Century , History, 18th Century , History, 20th Century , Humans , Language , Names , Tattooing/historySubject(s)
Biopsy, Fine-Needle/methods , Lymphoproliferative Disorders/diagnosis , Trypanosomiasis/diagnosis , Azure Stains/history , Biopsy, Fine-Needle/history , Biopsy, Fine-Needle/instrumentation , Eosine Yellowish-(YS)/history , History, 20th Century , History, 21st Century , Humans , Lymph Nodes/pathology , Lymph Nodes/surgery , Lymphoproliferative Disorders/history , Lymphoproliferative Disorders/pathology , Lymphoproliferative Disorders/surgery , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Trypanosomiasis/history , Trypanosomiasis/pathology , Trypanosomiasis/surgeryABSTRACT
I give an historical account and analysis of the scientific priority of the discovery of the polychrome staining of microscopic biological preparations provided by mixtures of eosin plus methylene blue and its derivatives, especially azure B. I maintain that both the formal priority for the discovery of the polychrome staining phenomenon and credit for initiating the development of a technique of polychrome staining properly belong to D. L. Romanowsky. His scientific work demonstrated the possibility of using a simple technique to stain hematological preparations selectively to give good contrast, high resolution and the ability to identify malaria parasites. Romanowsky's approach constituted the starting point for the development of a family of polychrome stains for microscopic investigation of hematological preparations by a number of his contemporaries.
