46 The Microscope. 



volumes of alcohol, and is thus eleven times more efficient thatl 

 the oil of cloves. 



The process of mounting then is to soak the object in alcohol, 

 and transfer thence directly into the cajeput-balsam. The re- 

 sults are, to the writer, very pleasing. The mounts so prepared 

 are not numerous, but comprise such divers objects as Diatoms, 

 insect preparations and plant sections. A caution to be observed 

 is that the preparations shall be well freed from water, also from 

 oil. In either of these cases it would be prudent to transfer the 

 object to cajeput oil from the alcohoP, and thence into the 

 cajeput-balsam rather than direct from the alcohol. A slight 

 turbidity in the new mount will disappear in a few days. 



To prepare cajeput-balsam the following process was found 

 satisfactory- A given quantity of good Canada balsam was 

 evaporated in a Berlin capsule to the consistency of thick syrup, 

 which on cooling becomes hard and glassy ; this was then re- 

 heated slightly and oil of cajeput added in quantity suffi- 

 cient to bring the mass to the required fluidity (about 40 per 

 cent of the original volume). 



To any who may find the odor of the cajeput distasteful, the 

 oil of eucalyptus may be commended in place of cajeput. Eu- 

 calyptus-balsam -was prepared by the writer, but is as yet untried- 



A LESSON IN MICROSCOPICAL SCIENCE. 



THE REV J. W. SANBORK, 



MICROSCOPICAL science, like medical skill, is not in a 

 high state of advancement among some tribes of North 

 American Indians. A few years ago I made an attempt to 

 awaken an interest in microscopical investigation among some 

 Pagans of the Seneca tribe. My reasoning was on this wise : 

 " Since the Indians are near to Nature's heart, they may like to 

 get nearer, through the medium of my microscope." 



The Pagan medicine-men had suffered me to witness their 

 method of curing a head ache. I was sanguine that a look 

 through my instrument would correct some of their false notions, 

 and perhaps modify the superstition which lay at the founda- 

 tion of their medical practice. To complete the story of the 

 headache: A dozen men, wearing hideous wooden masks 

 decked with horse-tail wigs, and each carrying a rattle made 



1 Tbis 18 the proper metbod in etery case' — Ed. 



