THE MICROSCOPE. 129 



with turn-table and lamp-holding attachment. As now arranged, it 

 is a very complete and compact stand, capable of doing the best 

 work. 



Dr. Theo. Deeke, special pathologist to the Utica Insane Asy- 

 lum, by special invitation, exhibited his monstrous stand, upon the 

 stage of which he exhibits an entire section of the adult human 

 brain. A number of these splendid sections were shown and his 

 methods of preparation, section cutting and staining, fully explained. 



Dr. Thomas Taylor, of the Agricultural Dept. at Washington, 

 exhibited his new freezing microtome, the freezing fluid (produced 

 by salt and ice) being conducted from a tank, through a rubber tube, 

 into the cylinder of the microtome, on top of which the specimen is 

 frozen, in gum water. The Dr. argued that the structure of all 

 tissues, hardened by chemical agents, is more or less distorted. His 

 microtome is a great improvement, in many respects, over anything 

 that we have seen of that character. The freezing mixture' is cheaper 

 than ether or rhigoline, beside, no extra person is needed in produc- 

 ing the freezing vapor. 



Dr. Ward, of Troy, N. Y., reported that the committee upon 

 ** Uniformity in Eye-Pieces " had secured replies from all manufac- 

 turers save one, who agreed to style their eye-pieces according to 

 their focal length, but that no agreement had yet been secured 

 as to diameter of tube. Prof. Rogers was elected the representa- 

 tive of this society to act with Prof. J. E. Highland and other ofificers 

 of the United States Coast Survey, in obtaining precision in micro- 

 metry. 



At the afternoon session six new members were received. Prof. 

 J. D. Hyatt, of Morrisania, N. Y., read a paper showing the con- 

 committance of frequently observed sporadic proliferation of certain 

 diatoms in the croton water supply, and its contamination of the 

 same. The same perodic frequency of the forms mentioned were 

 observed in the Elmira and other waters. Dr. Robert Dayton, of 

 Cleveland, exhibited, by means of suitable diagrams, an improve- 

 ment in the half-button illuminator. Prof. Simon Gage, of Cornell 

 University, then read a very instructive paper on " The Relation of 

 Fat Cells to Connective Tissue." The professor epitomized his 

 paper, at its close, as follows: 



" I. With the use of the microscope as an instrument of re- 

 search, it is unmistakably shown that the fat of the body is not free 



