THE MICROSCOPE. 233 



Freeing Objects from Air. — A writer, whose name is not 

 given, describes the following very simple but efficient process for 

 freeing objects from air before mounting in glycerine jelly, depend- 

 ing on the great solubility of air in water: A wide-mouthed bottle, 

 of about four ounces capacity, with a closely fitting solid stopper, is 

 completely filled with water, which at the time is, and for half an 

 hour previously has been, boiling in order to expel all traces of dis- 

 solved air. The stopper being then inserted without inclosing a 

 single air-bubble, the bottle is set aside until cool enough to receive 

 the sections which are then to be put into it. A few drops of boil- 

 ing water are then to be added to make good the inevitable loss in 

 removing the stopper; the bottle is to be again closed, wiped dry, 

 and securely sealed with melted paraffin. After twelve hours it may 

 be opened, and the whole contents turned into a white porcelain 

 shallow dish. The sections can then be easily seen, and picked out 

 with a section -lifter, and should be soaked for half an hour in a 50 

 per cent, solution of glycerine before mounting. 



Microscopists at Dinner. — -When the microscopists sat 

 down to dinner, each one produced his compound oscillating micro- 

 scope, and carefully examined every article of food. Excited shouts 

 went as new discoveries of metallic, vegetable, and sausage sub- 

 stances were discovered in the soup. An examination of the water 

 resulted in the discovery of such an enormous quantity of infusoria, 

 mammalia, and pachydermata that the microscopists unanimously 

 refused to drink it. During the progress of the meal, much enthu- 

 siasm was aroused by the announcement of Professor White that he 

 had discovered a trace of hairpin in the beefsteak, thus upsetting 

 the theory that the beefsteak of American hotels is a chemically 

 pure carburet of sole-leather; and at a later hour, Professor Black's 

 assertion — based on a thorough microscopical examination — that he 

 had discovered whortleberries in the whortleberry pudding, and 

 wine in the wine-sauce, led to a heated discussion, in the course of 

 which 38 microscopists declared that Professor Black was an igno- 

 rant and unprincipled pretender, and 1 1 others maintained that the 

 Professor was acting in good faith, and that his discoveries could be 

 accounted for on the theory that the waiter had given him, by mis- 

 take, a piece of wortleberry pudding made expressly for the land- 

 lord's private table. 



