Gram's method

American  

[gramz] / græmz /

noun

(sometimes lowercase)

1. a method of staining and distinguishing bacteria, in which a fixed bacterial smear is stained with crystal violet, treated with Gram's solution, decolorized with alcohol, counterstained with safranine, and washed with water.

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Gram's method British  

noun

1. bacteriol a staining technique used to classify bacteria, based on their ability to retain or lose a violet colour, produced by crystal violet and iodine, after treatment with a decolorizing agent See also Gram-negative Gram-positive

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Etymology

Origin of Gram's method

Named after Hans C. J. Gram (1853–1938), Danish bacteriologist

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Gram's method

Young individuals are stained by Gram's method; older individuals are, however, Gram negative.

From The Bacillus of Long Life a manual of the preparation and souring of milk for dietary purposes, together with and historical account of the use of fermente by Loudon Douglas

Stain: Gram's method coloured with aqueous fuchsine afterwards.

From The Bacillus of Long Life a manual of the preparation and souring of milk for dietary purposes, together with and historical account of the use of fermente by Loudon Douglas

Ducrey's bacillus occurs in the form of minute oval rods measuring about 1.5 µ in length, which stain readily with any basic aniline dye, but are quickly decolorised by Gram's method.

From Manual of Surgery Volume First: General Surgery. Sixth Edition. by Alexis Thomson

In Gram's method, however, only some bacteria retain the stain, while others lose it.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Part 1, Slice 2 "Baconthorpe" to "Bankruptcy" by Various

It stains with moderate rapidity with the ordinary anilin dyes, and is decolorized by Gram's method.

From Contagious Abortion of Cows by Ward J. MacNeal