THE MICROSCOPE. 



nearest point being our parish capital, four miles distant. On enter- 

 ing Mr. 's drug store, the first thing which greeted my eyes 



was a good modern microscope, and accessories well adapted to the 

 use of the pharmacist. On my asking the meaning of it, the reply 

 in substance was: "I'm a subscriber to The Microscopp:, and intend 

 following up the good work it is doing for the drug dealer and his 

 customers." Here, my dear Editors, is one instance of the good 

 work being done by your "free and easy writing." For the sake of 

 poor adulterated drug-swallowing humanity, don't change the style 

 of The Microscope. 



There are, comparatively, very few in the southern states who 

 are acquainted with the use of the microscope, being far behind 

 your locality in this respect. Here the manipulating microscopical 

 schoolmaster is needed; hence I shall take the liberty of an old 

 man, who, although very dull, has been taught something by forty 

 years use of the microscope, to suggest that you devote some space 

 to very simple and plain directions, in detail, how to manipulate the 

 instrument in examination of drugs. There are many druggists 

 who would follow your good work if aided in how to manipulate the 

 instrument for that purpose. In "How to Use the Microscope," for 

 beginners, and "How to See with the Microscope," for the advanced, 

 we have two of the best works up to date; yet a little more, if only 

 a repetition of the little things, will do no harm. While the hand- 

 ling of a student's stand with good (non-adj.) dr. ^ and 1-5 objec- 

 tives is a simple thing, even to a novice, if he received a little well 

 directed instruction about the little things, yet without this instruc- 

 tion, nine out of ten will be like a ship at sea, with rudder broken, 

 and no one aboard to renew it, and likely the instrument would be 

 put aside in disgust. Now, "Grey Beard" can speak feelingly on 

 this point, for, being a home-spun, he has had "experiences," some 

 of which were ludicrous in the extreme from this very simplicity, 

 and yet had seen others in just as leaky a boat as his own. 



I wish I were an M. I).- — 1 would like to indulge in some "doctor 

 talk" (?) to-night; but no, will spare you the farce; yet must be per- 

 mitted to say that this is a rich field for research to the medical mic- 

 roscopist. The instrument has doubly read me a lecture which no 

 medical faculty will dare to controvert, viz., that filth is a great factor 

 in the spread of disease, and is certainly on great terms of intimacy 



