AbstractA simple, rapid, sensitive, consistent and economical method for plaques and tangles of Alzheimer's disease is presented. Sections were sensitized in 0.5% ammoniacal silver nitrate, followed by treatment in gum mastic and immersion in a physical developer consisting of hydroquinone, gum mastic and a very low concentration of silver nitrate. They were then treated with gold chloride and sodium thiosulfate. The procedure gives comparable results to those obtained with Bielchowsky and its modifications in about 30 minutes. (The J Histotechnol14:39, 1991)