244 The Microscope. 



THE Stowell Microscopical Club, of Albion College, held its 

 eighth soiree at the College Museum, June 18th. Some forty 

 objects were exhibited and discussed, much to the satisfaction of 

 those present. The club is in a flourishing condition, with the fol- 

 lowing ofl&cers for the current year: Elliott E. Downing, President; 

 Cora E. Mather, Vice-President; Fred. B. Mumford, Rec. Secretary; 

 Alin B. Hall, Cor. Secretary; Delos Fall, Treasurer. 



ELEMENTARY DEPARTMENT. 



SIXTH LESSON. 



"cleanliness is akin to godliness." 



WITHIN the scope of these lessons is now embraced all that is 

 necessary for the carrying out of ordinaiy histological work. 

 This scope will be much enlarged by the addition of a few stains, 

 and to the consideration of these the present lesson will be devoted. 

 The reader is advised, however, to continue his section-cutting from 

 the various organs, and to prepare them in the manner already 

 described, in order that he may gain facility in the work. The mate- 

 rial which has been preserved will be found well hardened, and most 

 suitable for the purpose. If injected specimens are desired they can 

 be prepared after the method described by Mr. Reynolds in the May 

 number of this journal. The procedui-e will be referred to in these 

 lessons at the proper time. Injected specimens are only valuable for 

 the study of the circulation— for any other purpose they are almost 

 if not quite worthless. Their aesthetic value depends on the indi- 

 vidual taste. 



STAINS. 



The advantage to be derived fi'om the use of stains should be at 

 once apparent. The dfecided color serves not only to draw out the 

 specimen from the obscurity of the surrounding mounting-medium, 

 but aids very materially in the differentiating of its component 

 parts. This is more especially time of the selective stains, i. e., those 

 which do not stain all parts alike, but select a certain tissue to which 

 they lend their color, thus revealing its distribution and making it 

 far easier to study. This selective staining is also used as a means of 

 diagnosis, particularly in bacteriology. This selective action can be 

 utilized for the application of several different colors to the same 



