1240 Journal of Applied Microscopy 



obstructed drain pipes. Each desk is supplied on the right hand side with a 

 drawer and locker one foot wide, extending through the entire depth of the desk ; 

 while beneath the top of the desk and well out of the way is a shelf, inclined 

 toward the back, and large enough to accommodate an overcoat and a hat, thus 

 obviating the necessity of special coat lockers. 



The bodies of these desks are, like all other wood fittings of the room, finished 

 in the natural color of the wood, oiled and varnished. The tops of all desks and 

 of the tables in the room are finished in black, with lamp-black and paraffin. 

 This finish has been found sirperior for laboratory purposes to any other, and is 

 obtained by rubbing into the freshly dressed desk top a mixture of lamp-black 

 and turpentine until the wood is thoroughly soaked with it. All excess of the 

 black is then carefully removed by thorough rubbing with cotton waste, or with 

 old rags. After this, paraffin of a high melting point is ironed into the wood 

 with a hot iron. The excess of paraffin also is finally removed by thorough 

 rubbing. The result is a comparatively dull black finish, very restful to the eyes, 

 an excellent background, and a finish that is not injured by the ordinary 

 chemicals, staining solutions, or warm objects that may get upon it. Under no 

 circumstances should a laboratory table or desk be varnished. The tops of the 

 desks are not screwed or nailed to the bodies in the ordinary manner, but are 

 held in place by screws passing through slots in such a way as to allow the wood 

 to shrink without cracking. There are no angles to tops of desks, all corners 

 being rounded to facilitate cleaning. 



On three walls of the room are glazed lockers for microscopes, each one 

 bearing a number to correspond with a desk. The glazing of the lockers admits 

 of ready inspection of contents by the instructor, without his being obliged to 

 open the lockers. Each student on entering the laboratory for work is supplied 

 with a desk, a locker and the keys for the same, for all of which he is held 

 responsible. The equipment of each desk consists of a microscope of approved 

 pattern, including an oil immersion lens, staining reagents, test-tubes, dishes, 

 funnels, flasks, a gas stove, a Bunsen burner, and in short all the apparatus, 

 except slides, coverslips, towels, notebooks, etc., that are necessary to pursue 

 the course. No charge is made for any apparatus unless injured or destroyed. 



In addition to the desks there are four large tables in the laboratory that are 

 used for such work as the preparation of culture media and the demonstration 

 of autopsies, dissections, etc. These are supplied with sinks, hot and cold water, 

 and gas. Beneath these tables are lockers for the use of students, each locker 

 being numbered to correspond with a particular desk. 



On the north wall of the room are the necessary shelves and closets for 

 apparatus and materials, and to the right of the door leading into the room is a 

 commodious glass hood, the framework of which is of iron, the base of soapstone, 

 and the back of brick, This hood is provided with gas, water, and aspirating 

 flues. The glass inclosing such a hood should never be cemented firmly in the 

 frames, as it is sure to crack by the expansion and contraction of the surround- 

 ing metal. It should be either loosely set, or set in some elastic material, that 

 will relieve the strain upon it. The total cost of the addition to the original 

 building was a trifle over fifteen thousand dollars ($15,001.2.'")). c. w. j. 



