156 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



Mr. W. H. Smith thought methylated spirit, not the finish of com- 

 merce, would be better in making sealing-wax varnish, being cheai^er 

 and 4 per cent, stronger than alcohol ; the addition of a small quantity 

 of balsam of tola would render it softer. 



Mr. Benjamin Lomax felt sure white-lead and balsam would prove 

 permanent ; they would form a superior kind of paint. 



Mr. Wonfor spoke of sealing-wax varnish as being imchanged 

 after several years' use. Some made seven years ago was still as good 

 as when made. Dr. Hallifax and he found an advantage in using a 

 small quantity of chloroform with the alcohol in dissolving the 

 sealing-wax. When talking with the Doctor about the new cement, 

 he understood him to say he had used benzoline, so he obtained the 

 ordinary form used for illumination, and employed it in the same way 

 as Dr. Hallifax had the benzole. He found it worked easily. It was 

 far cheaper and dried readily. As a proof of the last-named quality, 

 some of the slides he had exhibited had not been made six hours and 

 were now nearly diy. 



In proposing a vote of thanks to Dr. Hallifax, both the chairman 

 and Mr. G. D. Sawyer thought the information both useful and practical. 

 That the subject was important might be gathered from the examples 

 quoted by Mr. Smith and others. 



Dr. Hallifax thought their thanks were due to Mr. "Wonfor for 

 introducing the subject to him and confirming his observations and 

 experiments. 



Mr. Wonfor repudiated being anything more than a pupil of an 

 admirable instructor, from whom he had constantly received very 

 useful hints in mounting and preparation. 



Previous to the above some rare plants, gathered in Sussex, and 

 presented by Mr. G. Davies and Mr. Birch Wolfe, were exhibited, 

 including Lolium temulentum, poisonous darnel, Bhinodina exigua var. 

 horiza, and Specularia hyhrida. 



Medical Microscopical Society. 



The seventh meeting of the above Society was held at the Koyal 

 Westminster Ophthalmic Hospital on the 18th of June, Jabez Hogg, 

 Esq., President, in the chair. 



The necessary business of the Society having been transacted, the 

 meeting resolved itself at once into a conversazione, no paper being 

 read. Numerous and interesting microscopical specimens were exhi- 

 bited by the members. 



The next meeting will not take place till the ensuing winter 

 session, and will be held on Friday, Oct. 17th, at 8 p.m. 



