638 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



accordion-like expansion, and a ring at the upper end. Bj holding the 

 pipette between thumb and middle linger, and inserting the index finger 

 into the ring, it is possible to carry out accurate pipetting work, using 

 only one hand. These suckers are made in 1 c.cm. and 5 c.cm. sizes. 



Histology of Man and other Animals. — In the early part of the 

 year the firm of Carl Zeiss presented to the Society a very useful and 

 interesting collection of slides, demonstrating some of the features of 

 the physiological histology of Man and Mammalian Animals. 



The slides were prepared under the supervision of F. Sigmund, of 

 Teschen, Austria, and are accompanied by descriptive pamphlets with 

 explanatory diagrams and illustrations. The text of the booklets is 

 rendered into English by C. L. Lewis, of University College, London. 

 The preparations deal with skin, motor organs, central nervous system, 

 reproduction, respiration, and the eye. There are sixty slides ; ten in 

 each section. 



A careful examination of a similar collection lent by the firm of 

 Carl Zeiss, shows that as a whole, tlie specimens are excellent and valu- 

 able for teaching purposes. The fixation is good, and in the majority 

 of cases the staining also, though in some preparations the sections have 

 been treated too lavishly with eosin. One preparation purporting to be 

 normal thyroid would be welcomed by the pathologist on account of its 

 comparative rarity, xinyway, the preparations and the descriptive 

 pamphlets are well worth the money at which they are priced, and the 

 donation must be regarded as a distinct acquisition to the Cabinet of 

 the Royal Microscopical Society. 



Microtomists' Vade Mecum.* — A. Bolles Lee's handbook of the 

 methods of microscopic anatomy has now reached its seventh edition. 

 The present issue records an improvement in histological technique, 

 Gilson's mounting media,t which afi^ord a ready and safe means of 

 mounting direct from alcohol and render visible even in unstained 

 preparations, elements which cannot be detected in the usual mounts. 

 Another important addition is that Ramon y Cajal's methods are now 

 given from the latest original source ; the sections dealing with neuro- 

 fibrils are almost entirely re-written, and also those relating to blood 

 and blood-parasites. It. is not necessary to praise this book ; it is too 

 well known and too useful to require any laudation. 



Microscopical Examination of Skin and Leather.^ — In a paper 

 on the salt-spots which are found in various leathers, and blemish, often 

 to a considerable extent, the finished product, G. Abt first describes 

 the technique adopted by him, and tlien goes on to state his findings 

 and inferences. The general purport of the author is apparently to 

 support the views enunciated by him in a previous paper§ on the chemical 

 origin of these stains. Anyway his present investigation is almost 

 novel, for very little appears to have been done recently in the micro- 



* London : J. and A. Churchill (1913) 526 pp. 

 + See this Journal, 1907, p. 501. 



X Bull. Soc. d'Encouragement pour I'lndustrie Nationals, cxix. (1913) pp. 

 646-66 (2 pis. and 7 text-figs). § See ante, p. 633. 



