PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 53 



cylinder ; this tube dips down into a narrow secondary chamber, in 

 which the razor blade is cooled previous to making a section, thus 

 utilizing the waste vapour. A double elastic ball for producing a 

 continuous current of air is attached to the atomizer ; or in the 

 laboratory a connection may be made with the nozzle of a gas blow- 

 pipe. To prepare the apparatus for use, a quantity of '• Richardson's 

 compound anaesthetic ether " is introduced into the box ; the tissue, 

 imbedded or not, is placed in the cylinder, and the razor blade is 

 placed in its chamber ; by working the elastic ball for two or three 

 minutes the tissue is frozen sufficient for sections to be cut with the 

 greatest ease. 



It may be objected that the line of the hinge on the stage is an 

 obstruction to the free play of the razor blade ; in practice I have not 

 found any difficulty from that source. It is necessary that the points 

 of the atomizer should be easy of access, to admit of their being 

 readily cleaned, as they are aiit to become choked by small foreign 

 bodies, dirt, &c.; for this reason the opening to the interior of the box 

 must be of sufficient size. The cost of the ether is but a small item ; 

 it is sold by Bobbins, of Oxford Street, at seven shillings a pint ; 

 three drachms are sufficient in cold weather to freeze a portion of 

 tissue five-eighths of an inch in diameter, and by an occasional 

 squeeze of the india-rubber ball to keep it frozen for several minutes. 



The apparatus is arranged to stand upon four firm legs, thus having 

 the advantage of portability, and is covered by a coat of felt and 

 leather to prevent conduction. It is made by Messrs. Wood and Son, 

 King Street, Manchester. 



Yours, &c., 



EicHAED Hughes. 



PKOCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



KoYAL Microscopical Society. 



King's College, December 1, 1875. 



Chairman, H. C. Sorby, Esq., F.E.S., President. 



The minutes of the preceding meeting were read and confirmed. 



A list of donations to the Society was read by the Secretary, and 

 the thanks of the Society were voted to the donors. 



Mr. Beck said he had a slide to present to the Society which he 

 thought would be of interest, being some of the ova of the Amphiuma, 

 which he had described at a former meeting,* and which he then 

 mentioned he hoped he should on a future occasion be able to get 

 mounted. The specimen had been injected by one of their Fellows, 

 Mr. Needham, and would be placed under a microscope in the room 

 for exhibition at the close of the meeting. It was a rare circumstance 

 to get the animal at all in this country, and still more rare to get one 

 * Nov., 1875 ; see ' M. M. J.,' p. 265, 



