THE president's ADDRESS. 101 



such work lias been to confirm or controvert observations and state- 

 ments already published rather than to bring forward anything new, 

 or establish absolutely, any important result. Those who regularly 

 read the current microscopical literature, will readily allow that 

 this is true. The joui'nals teem with notices and records of work 

 carried on in almost every department of Microscopical Science. It 

 would, obviously, be impossible for me on the present occasion, to 

 epitomise fairly all that has been published, even in one depart- 

 ment, much less in all. And it would seem invidious to single out 

 for special praise or criticism, any individual contributions. Many 

 have appeared that are of great value ; but I do not know that any 

 can indisputably claim preeminence. I may be permitted, how- 

 ever, to allude to two or three subjects which have of late engaged 

 the attention of many able microscopists, and which seem to me 

 not only to deserve, but to demand, and that without delay, still 

 further investigation 



First and foremost there is the minute anatomy of the nervous 

 system, especially as regards the so-called terminations of the 

 nerve fibres in muscle, and in the several organs of sensation. The 

 results of Dr. Beale's well-known investigations have been dis- 

 puted by many who have adopted different methods of research. 

 To some, perhaps, it may still seem an open question whether or 

 not Dr. Beale's statements will, in the main, be proved worthy of 

 general acceptance. It would be out of place to enter upon the 

 discussion now But I cannot allow this opportunity to pass with- 

 out expressing my own admiration for the exquisite beauty of Dr. 

 Beale's preparations, and my high appreciation of the ability and 

 untiring industry with which he has worked out and supported his 

 conclusions. 



Again : Hallier and others have been of late, and are still, 

 engaged in the study of certain minute living organisms, which 

 appear to be the concomitants, if not the causes, of the various so- 

 called septic diseases, such as cholera, fever, pyaemia, &c. In the 

 results of such investigations, we all of us have something more 

 than microscopic interest. 



Another field for investigation which, to me, appears likely to be 

 of great importance in its general bearing, has been recently 

 reopened by Cohnheim, and urged upon the attention of micros- 

 copists in this country by Dr. Charlton Bastian. I refer "to the 

 relations between the blood corpuscles and the walls of the vessels, 



