THE MICROSCOPE. 171 



cabinet. I have also made a preliminary examination of some of 

 our ordinary articles of food, not sufficiently exact to go into detail, 

 but enough to give to you a hint as to what may be 

 done, and to indicate a useful line of work. For ex- 

 ample, I have found arrow-root adulterated with sage, and arrow- 

 root, tapioca, and sago all showing more or less of the well-known 

 form of potato-starch. Cocoa has exhibited potato-starch, sago- 

 starch, in one case and the beautiful grain of tous-les-mois, besides 

 sugar crystals and inorganic matter, that may be coloring matter, or 

 may be dirt — in one case, I suspect, plaster-of-paris. Mustard 

 showed pea-flour, potato-starch, and wheat-flour, as well as inorganic 

 matter, probably plaster-of-paris. Oatmeal showed wheat-flour, and 

 maizena potato-starch. 



"I give these just as examples of what is and what maybe done. 

 It is not our province to do with legislative action, yet we have, I 

 think, a right to know what it is that we eat and drink. Many of the 

 adulterations are in themselves harmless to the public health, though 

 not to the public morals. This species of microscopist is much 

 needed, and I regret that, so far as our Society goes, we have no 

 member that has given himself up to this work in a systematic and 

 careful manner; but certain it is that such a work needs doing, and 

 doing well. I can only bid you hope that our energetic Secretary 

 will secure for us numerous specimens of M. detergitata. 



M. medicus is the medical microscopist. Our learned and much 

 honored President comes, of course, under this title. One would 

 say that specimens of this species would be found in abundance 

 about our rooms, making themselves heard above the more subdued 

 voices of other species; for surely the microscope must be a neces- 

 sity for medical men, and one would certainly have predicted that 

 our Society's literature would have been enriched by their contribu- 

 tions many and learned; but, with the one exception of our President, 

 I do not think that for years a solitary specimen of the M. medicus 

 has been heard in our gatherings. I cannot altogether account for 

 this: I do not know if the class is an exceptionally shy one — shrink- 

 ing from publicity — in no case courting profane gaze, and with a 

 modest dislike to uttering opinions in gas-light, and never on any 

 occasion advancing thoughts that are not well matured and tested. 

 It may be the M. medicus has a difficulty in consorting with other 

 species of the same genus, and prefers buzzing only where his more 



