The Microscope. 167 



The publishers give us the good press-work, paper and binding 

 characteristic of their house. 



Manipulation of the Microscope. By Edward Bausch. Illus- 

 trated. 12 mo. pp. 100. Price 50 cents. 1885. Address the au- 

 thor at Rochester, N. Y. 



The author starts out with the supposition that the pur- 

 chaser, or owner, is a beginner and absolutely ignorant of the 

 microscope and everything pertaining to it. Then step by step 

 proceeds to consider the elementary manipulation of the in- 

 strument, and finally closed with directions for advanced ma- 

 nipulation, illumination and testing objectives. It is a very 

 ignorant man indeed who cannot find profit from a perusal of 

 this little work. 



Sanitary Suggestions on How to Disinfect our Houses. By 

 B. W. Palmer, A. M., M. D. pp. 60. Price 25 cents. George S. 

 Davis, Detroit. 1885. 



We have before us a resume of the latest and best informa- 

 tion on the Household Use of Disinfectants. It is the great 

 study of the day how to prevent the development of infectious 

 diseases, or when once originated, how to reduce their further 

 spread to a minimum. Dr. Palmer points out the use and appli- 

 cation of the best agents employed for this purpose, and he has 

 done his work in such an easy, simple way that anybody of or- 

 dinary intelligence may take advantage of them. We wish this 

 little brochure could be in every household. 



Recent Progress in the Improvement of the Microscope. By 

 R. H. Ward, M. D., F. R. M. S. 



This consists of the proof of an article on " Microscopy," in 

 the Annual Cyclopedia for 1884, as issued by the Appletons. 

 Dr. Ward has done his work well and the publishers are to be 

 congratulated on having such an article in their annual. 



Osmic Acid. — Osmic acid, the effect of which in the study 

 of the cornea and the hepatic cellules, was mentioned last 

 week, has another property, which is destined to yield impor- 

 tant results in histological investigations — viz., it arrests the 

 diffusion of glycogen, and prevents its transformation into 

 glucose, and that without interfering with its characteristic 

 reaction toward iodine. As glycerine is one of the constant 

 histological elements of the foetal epidermis, cartilage, and 

 other portions of the organism, but which, from its instability, 

 has not been thoroughly studied, Professor Ranvier congratu- 

 lates himself upon the discovery of the osmic acid reaction. 

 Unhappily, the iodine alone, of all the reagents yet tried by 

 him, differentially colors the glycogen, and the effects of the 

 staining are very evanescent. — National Druggist. 



