26 THE MICROSCOPE. 
Avy one who is acquainted with the brilliant work of the physi- 
ologists (Heidenhain, Gaskell, Kiihne, etc.), must recognize the 
extreme value of microscopic physiology, and, further, must clearly 
understand that it means quite as much to physiology as micros- 
copic anatomy does to anatomy.— Whitman. 
ApuLTERATION oF PowpErrEp Sarrron.—Rietsch and Cornil 
(Jr. de Ph. et de Clin., March 15, 1888), examined 79 samples of 
this substance, and found that 49 of them were adulterated. Of 
these 31 contained florets of Carthamus, 4 contained Santa- 
lum rubrum, 1 was adulterated with Curcuma domestica, and 1 
was fortified with oil; 5 contained red woods and petals not 
determined. 7 were double falsifications, of which 4 ‘contained 
Carthamus with Santalum or other red woods and a red flower with 
an admixture of oil. Red woods and amylaceous matters were also 
found.—Am. Jr. Pharmacy. 
Tue first annual meeting of the Western Society of Naturalists 
was held at the Illinois State University buildings, Champaign, IIL, 
Oct. 24th and 25th. Only practical papers, detailing methods and 
apparatus were allowed to be read. 
A prcuLrar rock, known by the name of chert, has been found 
to be made up principally of sponge spicules. 
Tue American Journal of Pharmacy says: The popular notion 
that ground peppers are extensively and grossly adulterated, while 
partly true, is mainly a false one. 
Mrirrman of Wurzburg, has investigated finger-nail dirt for 
micro-organisms. In twenty-five cases examined, micrococci were 
present ; then came dipplococci ; in eighteen cases bacilli ; sarcinz 
were found in three,—while moulds abounded. 
To xiquery carbolic acid, fill the space at the neck of the bottle 
(new) with alcohol and then invert the spirit which will work upward 
and dissolve the acid ; in microscopical work, or indeed in any other 
kinds, the spirit will do no harm as it will soon evaporate.-—Latham. 
Examination of Marrer Depostrep rrom THE Atr.—Dr. Whitta- 
ker, in Medical News, says: So long as microscopy and chemistry 
constituted the sole means of examining the matter deposited from 
the air, there could be obtained no precise knowledge, which became 
possible only with isolation of its particles and cultivation of them 
in various soils. These investigations, which are necessarily of 
recent date, have, nevertheless, already disclosed the fact that the 
air is, as a rule, when compared with the water and the soil, singu- 
