182 NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 



sarcous elements, which are either all of equal breadth or are alter- 

 nately broad and narrow. 3. That the columns are separated from 

 each other by interfibrillar or intercolumnar substance, in which fat- 

 molecules and other granular particles are suspended. 4. That a 

 certain number of these columns form the primitive fasciculus (fibre) 

 of muscle which is invested by sarcolemma. 5. The so-called yellow 

 muscles of insects are to be included with the other transversely 

 striated muscles. 



NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 



The Gull and Johnson Controversy. — Apropos of the late discussion 

 relative to the structure of the kidney, as to whether the term " arterio- 

 capillary fibt osis" is correct or not, the 'Lancet' has the following leading 

 article, in the expression of which we entirely concur. It says :— We 

 shall look with much anxiety to the composition of the committee, 

 which the Society very properly decided to appoint, for the micro- 

 scopic investigation of the true nature of those appearances in vessels 

 to which Sir W. Gull and Dr. Sutton have given the distinctive name 

 of " arterio-capillary fibrosis." Assuredly it ought, as far as possible, 

 to consist of competent microscopic observers who have not in any way 

 adopted a definite view on the subject. We think it is easy to see that, 

 as regards mere histological fact, there is certainly something to be 

 said for both sides. Both among the very beautiful preparation exhi- 

 bited by Dr. Johnson and among those shown by his opponents there 

 are many which appear to exhibit undoubted evidence of such a hyper- 

 trophy of the muscular coats of arteries as Dr. Johnson contends for ; 

 but, on the other hand, we should be greatly surprised if it were ulti- 

 mately proved that there are no further changes of the arterial walls in 

 granular renal disease. Certainly it is not thus that one feels inclined 

 to explain several of the preparations which have been exhibited ; nor 

 can the hypothesis of glycerine-modification be received as a sufficient 

 explanation of the discrepancy. Moreover, it is very widely felt, we 

 believe, among the best clinicians of London, that the clinical history 

 of degenerative disease, as observed both in hospitals and in private 

 practice, gives a very large number of instances in which everything 

 seems to point to various other portions of the systemic circulation, 

 and not to the renal vessels, as the commencement of the series of 

 degenerative diseases of which granular renal disease may form a part. 



Microscopical Experiments on Insects' Compound-Eyes. — Dr. F. 

 W. Griffin, of the Bristol School of Chemistry, sends us the following 

 note which he has had inserted in the ' World of Science.' Any tole- 

 rable " mount " of a beetle's eye will show more or less of the. results 

 hereafter described, but to obtain the more striking effects it should 

 be prepared with great care. From a shape more or less semi-glo- 

 bular, it has to be flattened out to a perfect plane, that all the images 

 in the field should be in focus together, yet this must be accomplished 



