170 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
Williams. Microscope for Viewing Circulation in the Frenum 
Lingue, Dr. U. Pritchard. Carcinonia of Liver simulating Cirrhosis, 
Dr. Goodhart. Myeloid Sarcoma, Mr. Needham. Organ of Corti in 
Mammals, Dr. U. Pritchard. Rodent Ulcer, Mr. Golding-Bird. 
The soirée of the Society was held on June 80. Of the fifty-four 
microscopes exhibited, twenty-four were devoted to a series of typical 
tumours ; besides these, a variety of instruments and photographs 
was shown. 
The number of members of the Society in December 1876 was 129. 
Several presents during the past year both of books and specimens 
were received ; and upwards of seventy different preparations besides 
apparatus were exhibited at the close of the meetings, in the same 
period. 
The Treasurer’s Report showed on December 31, 1876, a balance 
of 301. 9s. 3d. against one of 201. 9s. at the same time in the previous 
year. The soirée expenses amounted to 197. The actual increase in 
the income of the Society was therefore nearly 301. 
The retiring President then delivered his address. 
He congratulated the Society upon its numbering 122 paying 
members, and thought that just at this time it might be said to be 
passing through a crisis; it had outgrown its developmental stage, 
and now hoped for something better. Originally designed to be of 
service to medical students, it soon found its sphere of action among 
those far senior to students; and he would say that in his opinion 
this Society offered a more congenial field for the investigation of 
histological pathology than any other in London. 
One function he deemed specially belonging to the Society, i.e. to 
study the influence of histology—normal or pathological—in every- 
day medical practice; this included a very large but very important 
field if we include its relation to hygiene. 
A clearer knowledge of tissues had helped us to understand more 
of pathological conditions ; gave also a clearer precision in diagnosis, 
and sometimes even a general hint as to prognosis and treatment, 
Such a subject as “ degeneration,” how different was its aspect now 
to that of the prehistological period! Fatty infiltration was now 
easily distinguished from “ fatty degeneration,’ while the practical 
bearing of this was found in the recognition now of sudden death 
from a fatty heart—a condition proved by histological investigation, 
and even admitted sound in courts of law. Again, with regard to 
tumours, what numbers of varieties were classed under the one head 
malignant or even cancer, now known to be perfectly distinct from 
each other, and how usual was it to appeal to the microscope ere the 
surgeon gave an opinion as to the recurrence of the disease. 
Several other instances of the use rendered to practice by the 
microscope were quoted, particular stress being laid upon the help it 
had been in elucidating the intricacies of Bright’s disease. Chorea 
was brought forward as showing what yet remained to be done, for 
till its histological pathology were determined, who could say that it 
was not the expression of several diseases ? 
