42 THE MICROSCOPE. 



Covrc^poudcncc, 



University at Lewisburg, Pa., April 23, '81. 

 Prof. C. H. Stowell, Dear Sir : — An interesting little fact 

 came to my notice several months ago, which perhaps might be of 

 interest to some of the readers of The Microscope. Last January 

 I discovered in an old waste-bottle in the Chemical Laboratory, 

 quite a large growth of protococcus plurialis. This bottle had never 

 been used except for distilled water, and was kept carefully corked. 

 On examining a larger bottle into which the distilled water was 

 placed after being drawm from the carboil, I discovered its presence 

 there also. As I had placed the water in the bottle, and had used 

 such measures as I could for securing perfect absence of foreign 

 matters, the fact seems only to be explained by some impurity in the 

 carboil. To add to the interest the bottles were kept in a cold 

 room during the severe weather, and still tlie protococcus did not 

 seem to be further affected than taking on its resting state would 

 indicate. The growth seemed, at present, to have been resumed. 



Yours respectfully, 



W. F. 



Flat Rock, Mich., April 19, '81. 

 Chas. H. Stowell, M. D., Prof, of Microscopy, U of M. 



Dear Doctor : — Last year while I was with you in the P. 

 Laboratory, I was considerably troubled to get cells from the Bruns- 

 wick black to harden — it would generally take a week, and then not 

 always good. Last Summer I was with some painters who were 

 using an alcoholic solution of shellac and I tried some for a cell 

 and found them first-rate. I take a very heavy solution for cells, 

 make the cells on the slides, and put it on my lamp stand and heat 

 it very hot and then let it cool. I can prepare and harden ready for 

 use in twenty minutes. These cells I find excellent for mounting 

 in glycerine. 



Please try and report to me what success you have. 



Respectfully yours, 



John H. Lobdf.ll, M. D. 



