MEDICAL MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY. Ill 



Medical Miscroscopical Society. 



Octoher ir^th, 1875. 



Jabez Hogg, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The Cocldea in Birds. — Dr. Pritchard explained and exhibited 

 spec-iinens illustrative of the structure of the cochlea in birds. 



Artificial Fibrillation of Hyaline Cartilage. — Mr. Cresswell Baber 

 exhibited specimens illustrating his paper in the ' Journal of 

 Anatomy and Physiology ' on the above subject. His observa- 

 tions were based upon a statement by Tillmanns, in Max 

 Schultze's 'Archives,' to the effect that fresh hyaline cartilage can 

 be fibrillated by macerating it for several days in a solution of 

 permanganate of potash, or in 10 per cent, solution of chloride 

 of sodium. Mr. Baber showed that fibrillation of the matrix can 

 be produced by macerating sections of hyaline cartilage in solu- 

 tion of chloride of sodium (both 10^ per cent.) in lime water or 

 in baryta water, and in each case after the maceration applying 

 momentary pressure to the glass covering the section before 

 examining it. The fluid that acted most rapidly was baryta 

 water, which produced the fibrillation in half an hour, while 

 permanganate of potash, that Tilmanns prefers, he had found un- 

 certain in its action. Mr. Baber had found the fibrillation of the 

 cartilage matrix in all cases in which he had searched for it, and 

 concluded therefore with Tillmanns that the hyaline matrix is 

 composed of fine fibres held together by nn interfibrillar cement 

 substance that can be dissolved by certain coagents. A dis- 

 cussion followed, and the meeting then resolved itself into a 

 conversazione. 



November Idth, Friday. 



Dr. Pritchard, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Micro -photoyrapJiy. — Dr. George Giles read a paper on, and 

 exhibited an instrument for, quickly connecting an ordinary 

 microscope with an ordinary camera, and obviating the use of 

 the heleostal. The latter difficulty is met by using as a con- 

 denser an achromatic lens of large diameter, but long focus, say 

 from ten to twelve inches. The image produced by such a lens 

 is so large in comparison with the field of the microscope that 

 one has simply to change the focussing screen for the dark slide, 

 and to expose, before the earth has moved sufficiently to throw 

 the light off the object. If the condenser has a diameter of three 

 inches it will condense quite sufficient light for any power that 

 one may want to use, say up to 1000 diameter. It consists of a 

 firm base board, at one end of which is a stage to which a camera 

 can be fixed by means of binding screws. In front of this stage 

 is a sort of tramway, in which slide first a piece of wood, with 



