THE MICROSCOPE. 



density of the medium in which the object is mounted is the same 

 as was originally taken into account when the objective was made. 

 Any variation from this will affect the result. If the microscope be 

 provided with a draw-tube, such objectives may be corrected by 

 that, in this way: Pulling out the draw-tube over corrects the ob- 

 jective while pushing it in undercorrects it. Hence, should the 

 object appear too green the draw-tube should be pushed in, whife if 

 too pink, it may be drawn out, until the ruby tint is obtained; of 

 course supposing it to be previously ascertained that the objective 

 corrects in those colors. 



HUMAN RED BLOOD CORPUSCLES. 



BY " GRAY BEARD." 



FOLLOWING is a description, with drawings, of what was seen 

 under the microscope in a case of poisoning by so-called whis- 

 ky, October 3, 1881, at Orange Grove Plantation, Thibodeaux, La. 

 '■'■Nullius addictus jui^ave i?i verba viagistri." 



Editor Microscope: — Yours of the i6th ult. came to hand in 

 due course of mail, and receipt was acknowledged by postal. The 

 case of child poisoned by whisky was one in which I took much 

 greater interest optically than pathologically. Had I been im- 

 pressed with its importance in the latter light at the time, as fully as 

 I am now, I should be able to prove to others that which, I feel as- 

 sured, was presented to my own vision; whereas, I now can say but 

 little more than what can be gleaned from the enclosed photograph 

 of drawings made for my own use. I have no mount of the blood, 

 and although there was some of the whisky left (as I have recently 

 ascertained), such was positively denied as being the case at the 

 time. On applying to the dealer, that special grade had all been 

 sold — not only the whisky, but the empty barrel, and furthermore, 

 his bill did not show the grade; in fact, I seemed to be looked upon 

 as a dynamic compound to blow up the whisky men. Now, how- 

 ever, I have satisfied the local dealer that it is the whisky and not 

 the men I'm after, and so may possibly through his merchant in New 

 Orleans be able to obtain a sample of whisky purporting to be the 

 same, in which case I will forward to you. 



But to the case. Being detained in Thibodeaux during the day 

 of October 7, 1881, on my return was told that there was ^ dead 



