THE MICROSCOPE. 



the two powders are seen in the field together, and when higher 

 powers are used it is an easy matter to move the object but a trifle. 

 This is a good way to compare a suspected powder with one known 

 to be pure, after examining several slides in this may, and after 

 trying to have others deceive us by changing slides, we came to the 

 conclusion, without doubt, that the twenty cent flour contained a 

 third more starch than the thirteen cent flour, just the opposite 

 claimed. 



It would appear that nothing could be more simple than an e.v- 

 amination of the contents of the mouth, but cases have occurred 

 with us recently which go to change our belief on this subject, as a 

 rule, however, it is an easy matter to remove some of the saliva to a 

 slide, to wait a moment for the air-bubbles to rise when they can 

 be broken or moved off with a needle, then to apply the cover and 

 examine. But here one must be familiar with the different 

 extraneous matters likely to be met with. Among them we might 

 enumerate most of the starches, oil globules, portions of tissue, 

 vegetable cells, the commercial fibres, the various "coatings" of the 

 tongue, etc., and these mixed with sputa make a formidable mass. 

 i^To be continued.) 



LETTER FROM "GREY BEARD." 

 Dear Editors of The Microscope : 



OMETIMES the old man in the "swamps of Louisiana" gets 



s 



lonesome, and at such times is very apt to inflict some of his 

 friends — he considers all who appreciate Microscopy as such, and 

 usually awaits no further introduction — with a specimen of his mis- 

 erable chirography, to say nothing of his " unelegant style." Not- 

 withstanding your journal is "so young" — only third issue — and 

 that your "style" is "familiar," "colloquial" and "undignified," yet 

 The Microscope (the journalistic one) has found its way to several 

 in the "swamps of Louisiana," and its influence for good is already 

 being felt in this locality. Twelve months ago, outside of New Or- 

 leans, there was not a microscope stand, to my knowledge, within 

 fifty miles of me. Recently I had occasion to wade out of the 

 swamp, seeking terra finna in search of drugs for swamp fever, the 



