58 American Quarterly Microscopical Journal. 



IS THERE A SCIENCE OF MICROSCOPY ? 



The vast majority of those who own microscopes use them 

 for purposes of amusement and pleasure. Men who make no 

 pretenses to be " scientific " have their fine instruments and 

 cabinets, with which they can entertain their friends ; they join 

 microscopical societies, assist at annual displays, and no doubt 

 profit some in knowledge of the superficial characters of 

 minute life. We do not look with regret upon this state of 

 things. On the contrary, we are glad that it is so, and would 

 encourage every one, no matter how ignorant of natural sci- 

 ence, to secure and use a microscope in this way ; for, if inter- 

 est leads to no deeper study, it will surely open to the mind a 

 wide field of beauty, and show a perfection of detail in even 

 the smallest creatures, which must exert an influence for good. 



To the student of natural science the microscope is, and al- 

 ways will be, a mere tool. Microscopy, as a special science, has 

 very little claim for existence. In so far as a certain familiarity 

 with the instrument, and training in the proper management of 

 the light and accessories, is necessary to enable one to use the 

 instrument, it may be called a science. We would detract 

 nothing from the merits of those who are expert in securing 

 the most perfect performance of an objective. 



Still, as a matter of fact, and plain facts should not give 

 offense to any one, we must admit that the great value of the 

 microscope, as a means of investigation, lies in the aid it gives 

 to almost every branch of science. 



This leads us to a statement of what, in our opinion, a mi- 

 croscopical journal should be. Recognizing the value of micro- 

 scopical study in the various branches of natural science, such 

 a journal should aim to publish the results of research carried 

 on with the microscope in every department. 



This opens a wide field, and demands the attention of the 

 naturalist, the physician, the lithologist and the botanist, of all, 

 in fact, whose studies lead them to examine minute structure, 

 and there are few indeed, at the present day, who find no use 

 for a microscope. While we so plainly deny the claims of 

 microscopy to the position of a science, at the present day, we 

 as strongly urge its claims as an invaluable adjunct in many 

 studies. 



Surely it has revealed isolated facts in structure and growth, 



