THE MICROSCOPE. 83 
EAOme Orta Be 
MicroscoricaL Ourrir ror Puysicians’ Uszr.—We have received 
several letters from physicians, asking us what apparatus is required 
for making the ordinary microscopical] examinations incident to medi- 
cal practice. The use of the microscope is absolutely essential to 
the intelligent practice of medicine, and yet we fear few physicians 
even own an instrument, and of the few who, in the enthusiasm of their 
student-days, purchased a microscope, not a small number make no 
practical use of it. In the latter case it is not always forgotten that, 
placed under a bell-glass where it can be seen, it has a most valuable 
moral effect on one’s patients. But the day is coming when the phy- 
sican who does not employ his microscope will fall behind in the 
race. If it were generally known how valuable an aid it is, and how 
simple and inexpensive are the necessary instruments and reagents, 
with which to prepare specimens for examination, we think it would 
be more widely employed. 
Let the physician who owns a microscope, and does not use it, 
adopt this plan: Procure a pine table about three feet square, and 
place it near a window with a good light. Devote this table to your 
microscopical work and nothing else. Purchase a number of bell- 
jars of different sizes—from two to eight inches in diameter—under 
which are placed all instruments and glass-ware to keep them from 
the dust and, as they are in view, easily accessible. Obtain the fol- 
lowing articles : a pair of needle-holders, fitted with needles ; a scal- 
pel; a pair of small sharp-pointed scissors; two pairs of forceps, one 
of which should have no teeth ; a sharp razor; two or three pipettes; 
two dozen glass slides, and an equal number of one-half inch cover- 
glasses ; several watch-glasses of different sizes ( glass salt-cellars 
will do), a few test-tubes, and a sheet of paraffined paper. Ofchemi- 
cals, get two ounces each of hydrochloric, nitric and acetic acids ; 
aqua ammonia; ammonia carmine ; an alcoholic solution of eosin, 
30 grains to the ounce and a pint each of alcohol and distilled water. 
With the above material all ordinary work can be performed. If it 
is desired to test sputum for the bacillus tuberculosis, purchase in 
addition to the above, a porcelain dish ; a tripod ; an alcohol lamp, 
and two ounces each of aniline oil and a saturated alcoholic solution 
of fuchsin. 
When a specimen is procured, put it at once into a bottle and cover 
with a little alcohol, or, if fluid, into a test-tube, and examine when 
at leisure. If you do not know how to prepare the specimen for 
