^06 



interest at the present time, because of the discovery of certain 

 parasitic bodies in the blood of persons suffering from various 

 fevers of malarial type, and with which they were, no doubt, in 

 intimate connection as the cause or the carriers of the infection. 

 The older method of examination was by puncturing the sterilised 

 .skin, say of the lobe of the ear, through a drop of solution, e.g., 

 osmic acid in normal saline, to dilute the blood and fix the 

 €orpuscles. Now it appeared preferable to use excessively thin 

 films, which were rapidly di'ied and stained if necessary. 



Mr. Swift exhibited a binocular microscope of aluminium, 

 which had been made to the order of a lady ; it had a mechanical 

 stage, achromatic condenser, and two eyepieces, all mounted in 

 aluminium. The aluminium microscope exhibited a short time 

 since was a monocular ; this one he believed to be the first 

 binocular ever made in that metal. 



The President said if what was wanted was a portable binocular, 

 then this supplied the want to perfection, for he had never seen 

 a microscope, possessing so many parts as tliis, which was so 

 remarkably light. It was very beautifully made and finished. 



INlr. Karop asked how the polished parts could be kept bright. 



Mr. Swift said it was only necessary to rub them with a 

 chamois leather ; the metal itself did not tarnish easily, and no 

 lacquer was needed to protect it from the air. 



Mr. Karop said the introduction of microscopes of this kind 

 would certainly effect a great revolution as compared with the 

 times when the great heavy microscopes of Ross and others used 

 to be brought down to the Club at a conversazione with so much 

 labour and inconvenience. He believed that improvements in 

 the manufacturing process had resulted in the production of 

 metal of gi'eater purity than formerly, rendering it much more 

 easily workable. 



Mr. Swift said it was much more difficult to work than most 

 metals, but was much easier now than at the time it was first 

 introduced. 



Mr. Earland read a paper by Mr. Bryce Scott " On a method 

 of preparing type slides of Foraminifera." 



On the motion of the President, the thanks of the Club were 

 unanimously voted to Mr. Earland and Mr. Scott for the paper, 

 and for sendino; down the slides for exhibition in illustration of 

 the paper. 



