OF MICROSCOPIC OBJECTS. 139 
CHAPTER VI. 
SECTIONS AND HOW TO CUT THEM, WITH SOME REMARKS ON 
DISSECTION.* 
Many objects are almost worthless to the microscopist until 
extraneous matter is removed from them; and this is fre- 
quently difficult in the extreme to perform satisfactorily. As 
an instance, certain Foraminifera may be mentioned in which 
_ the cells are placed one upon another, consequently the ob- 
ject must be reduced to a certain degree of thinness before a 
single uniform layer of these cells can be obtained to show 
something of the internal arrangements. 
Most animal and vegetable forms require an examination 
of the separate parts before much can be known about them. 
The mass must be divided into separate portions, each part 
intended to be preserved being cleaned from the useless 
matter with which it is surrounded. It will frequently be 
found necessary to make thin sections, which from a very 
tender substance is no easy matter; and much patience will 
be necessary to attain anything like proficiency. 
This making of sections was not until very recently 
undertaken by many except those belonging to the medical 
profession, but I do not see why this should be so, as much 
may be accomplished by a persevering and interested mind 
where there is time for entering into the subject. I will 
therefore make an attempt to give some instructions on this 
subject also. We will first consider the cutting of sections 
from hard substances, in which the ordinary knife, chisel, 
* As some knowledge of dissection is necessary to success in injec- 
tion, additional matter on this subject will be found in Chapter VII. 
