The Microscope. 35 



partly cooked, partl}^ polarize light. Potatoes, beans, leavened 

 and unleavened bread, crackers, dough, etc., are fine objects to 

 stud}'-. There is no doubt that a great deal of sickness comes 

 from imperfectly cooked food. I find the microscope an excel- 

 lent means to tell what foods are bad for my patients, by study- 

 ing the Morphologies A, D, E. Strawberries, for example, are 

 poor food. This is a large, new and interesting field of study. 

 I hope microscopists will cultivate this field more and bring out 

 as good results as Dr. Taylor of the TJ. S. Agricultural Depart- 

 ment has done with butiers, true and false. 



Morphologies of invalids'' and infants'' food ^ cereals especially. 

 — This division comes almost under the heading of adulteration 

 of foods so little do the advertised statements as to their char- 

 acter come up to their own demands. They are not adulterated, 

 but wrongly described. I have tried to protect invalids and in- 

 fants, with little success so far as I can learn. The microscopists 

 who have this class of individuals in their families cannot afford 

 not to examine their food, and protect the helpless ones from 

 harm if not imposition. Of course this morphological examina- 

 tion should be supplemented by the chemical and physiological 

 examinations. All have a riiJ:ht to examine their food as far as 

 possible macroscopicall}', but the microscopical examination 

 will acquaint the inquirer with the facts very much more satis- 

 factorily. 



Morphology of adulteration in foods is a large one and has 

 been made the subject of a volume by Hassall. There is great 

 need that this examination be kept up, as these admixtures are 

 so common everywhere. When microscopy becomes as common 

 as music and is used as much, then the queens of our parlors 

 will vie with the queens of our kitchens in securing pure, not 

 " strictly," " absolutely " and fully " warranted " pure foods. 



Morphology of drugs in powders^ extracts^ substance, crystals^ 

 oils, etc. — I have not cultivated this department as much as 

 I would like to, but I see here a large field for the use of the 

 microscope as a means to the end of uniform and genuine prepa- 

 rations. 



Morphology of wearing apparel,. — I have found the use of the 

 microscope to be of much avail in selecting silk patterns for 

 dresses and clothing for my family. The time is coming when 



