22 PEOGRESS OF MICROSCOPICAL SCIENCE. 



the man suffered at the same time from ordinary tinea circinata of the 

 forearms, as you -will see for yourselves. On the left arm is a small 

 red patch, the size of a split pea, covered by minute scales. There are 

 two larger ones on the right arm, on its posterior aspect just above the 

 wrist, of the same kindj and in the scales abundant mycelial threads 

 may be discovered. 



Action of Quinine on the White Corpuscles of the Blood. — Herr Binz 

 says that the power of quinine to lessen oxidation is only due to its 

 action on haemoglobin ; and it has the same effect upon a solution of this 

 substance as when blood itself is employed. Some years ago, Binz 

 showed that quinine arrests the motions of the white blood corpuscles; 

 and this effect is now explained by the diminution in the oxidizing 

 power of the red corpuscles which the drug produces. The white 

 coriJuscles are only active when they are supplied with oxygen, and 

 their movements are arrested by want of it. On this account, they 

 can only crawl through the walls of the blood-vessels when oxygen is 

 supplied to them by the red ones as they j)ass by. When no red cor- 

 puscles are present, Binz has found that the white ones cease to 

 wander altogether ; and this observation has also been made by Heller 

 and Zahn. In regard to the therapeutic application of quinine, every 

 one must judge for himself ; but so much is certain, that it paralyzes 

 the movements of the white blood corpuscles, and lessens oxidation ; 

 and it is therefore likely to be useful in suppuration and fever. — 

 Medical Record. 



The Basidia of Agarics. — A very capital paper on this important 

 subject is that of M. J. de Seynes, in a late number of ' Grevillea.' He 

 says that the basidia are cells which vary within sufficiently restricted 

 limits ; they are in general widened towards the summit, and more or 

 less swollen or slender, rarely of an equal size from the base to the 

 summit. Upon the hymeuium of Agaricus cernuus we have seen basidia 

 slightly compressed at the centre to take a bi ventral form, but this form 

 is rare. The basidia contain a granular liquid charged with little drops 

 of oil, sometimes slightly coloured ; this liquid passes through the 

 sterigmata or sporophores, little organs ordinarily four in number, 

 superposed upon the basidia, and from the summit of which the spores 

 originate. It is a sort of hollow funiculus, varying in length, some- 

 times slender, sometimes wide and funnel-sha2)ed, and joined to the 

 basidium by the wide part, sometimes describing a cm-ve in the form 

 of an ox's horn. During the early stage of the spore it is seen, as 

 well as the sterigmata, to be filled with the granulations which were 

 accumulated in the basidium. According to Corda, each sterigmata 

 always develops one spore at a time, and sometimes one after another ; 

 although direct observation has not yet demonstrated this fact to me, 

 it seems to be very probable, for w^e see the old basidia, which have 

 employed their granulous contents in the fabrication of spores, present 

 nothing in their interior but a clear and transparent liquid. 



" Whon a basidium bearing ripe spores ready to be detached is 

 found still filled with the granulous plasma intended for the spores, it 

 is to be presumed that it will serve for a second formation, the existing 



