Sputum fixatives: how safe is 50% alcohol?

It is believed that the following conclusions can be drawn from this study. 1) Fifty per cent ethyl alcohol fixative is bactericidal to 90 to 95% of the bacterial organisms present in the specimens submitted to cytology. 2) The fixative definitely appears to be selective against gram-negative organisms, both cocci and rods. 3) The fixative does not alter the ability of the organisms to take a characteristic stain. 4) The fixative does appear to alter the ability of the Histoplasma and the Cryptococcus to grow after a two-hour minimum fixation. No growth was noted after six weeks.