THE MICROSCOPE. 275 
in the world from which better and more innocent amusement 
may be obtained than from the microscope. They are written 
for those who desire something more and higher than simple 
amusement, and such readers I would advise to select a stand 
with a body of the regulation length. 
Aside from the elements of optical discord introduced by using 
‘on a short body non-adjustable objectives corrected for a long 
one, there is another objectionable feature about the short tubes. 
The constant manipulation of the draw-tube to alter the magni- 
fying power is pretty sure to strain the fine adjustment mechan- 
ism, if the latter is at the back of the arm, as it is in most stands 
recently made. It will also have more or less of deleterious 
effect on the coarse adjustment, although there it will not be so 
great. 
(To be continued.) 
SECTION CUTTING IN THE COLD. 
DR. HENRY SHIMER. 
EBRUARY 12.—We are up at daylight this morning to cut 
those specimens of rabbits’ lungs and liver which we hung 
out at 1 A.M., by a thread, on a nail, in anticipation of a good 
morning for this work. 
Thermometer being at 4° above zero, the lungs are frozen just 
right, and we soon have a supply of fairly good specimens for 
study. They are not quite so thin as we read about, but still 
useful as helps in our studies in histology. 
Fes. 13.—We attempt to repeat our work of yesterday morn- 
ing, having spoiled some of the specimens in staining with 
hematoxylin, for this valuable stain is much more difficult to 
work with than the carmines ; is easily overdone and often pre- 
‘elpitates in a fine powder, ruining the specimen. The morning 
is too warm, being 15°, soon 20° above zero, so we get out few 
specimens and they are too thick to be very useful. 
We get the best results by cutting in a temperature near zero, 
say from 5° below to 10° ‘above. 
‘ During the past winter I have thus cut, out-of-doors, one 
hundred different pieces of animal-tissues, averaging about fifty 
“Sections from each, with very satisfactory results, to myself at 
“Teast. i ako: | Miata a Nt Bee nena 
