Main Entry: War·thin–Star·ry stain

Pronunciation: \ˈwȯr-thən-ˈstär-ē-\

Function: noun

: a silver nitrate stain used to show the presence of bacilli

Warthin, Aldred Scott (1866–1931), and Starry, Allen Chronister (born 1890), American pathologists. Warthin served for many years as professor and director of the department of pathology at the University of Michigan. He was the author of several textbooks of pathology. He did research on tuberculosis of the placenta, the hemolymph nodes, lipemia, mustard gas poisoning, the aging process, and especially syphilis. In 1920 Warthin and Starry introduced a silver nitrate stain as a method for demonstrating spirochetes in tissues.