238 



THE AMERICAN MONTHLY 



[December, 



Stallard had a fine array of seven micro- 

 scopes, under which were arranged sHdes 

 illustrative of the structure of normal and 

 also of diseased arteries. The various 

 tissues had been skilfully differentiated 

 by various staining processes, and the 

 distinctive features of each slide were 

 carefully explained by the exhibitor. 8. 

 The elegantly-sculptured egg cases of the 

 house-fly were shown by William Payzant, 

 and their beauty was a revelation to most 

 of the spectators. The same gentleman 

 exhibited a slide of the pretty little 'brine 

 shrimp ' from the evaporating pans of the 

 salt works near Alameda. 9. The next 

 exhibitor, W. F. Myers, showed a slide on 

 which the delicate and beautiful structure 

 of the mosquito was effectively displayed. 

 He also exhibited an attractive mount of 

 red marine algae. 10. L. M. King was 

 announced to exhibit living rotifers, but 

 at the last moment these were so diso- 

 bliging as to die. In their place the slide 

 contained a fine example of the larva of 

 the day fly {^Ephemera intlgata). 11. An 

 exhibit resembling the most delicate frost- 

 work was shown by A. S. Brackett. It 

 consisted of the beautiful crystals of mu- 

 riate of cocaine strikingly displayed on a 

 dark ground. A neat placard, giving the 

 name, derivation, uses, and chemical 

 characteristics of this salt, was a com- 

 mendable feature of this exhibit. 12. Per- 

 haps the most unique object on the entire 

 list was that shown by Prftf. Hanks It 

 was an insect of a species now extinct, 

 perfectly preserved, without the least ap- 

 parent distortion, in a block of amber, 

 wherein it had rested for untold ages. As 

 compared with this perfect specimen of 

 nature's embalming the mummy of 

 Egypt's most ancient king is a thing of 

 yesterday. 13. Henry C. Hyde's exhibit 

 consisted of the blood-red crystals of 

 platino-cyanide of magnesium, selected 

 diatoms shown with dark-ground illumin- 

 ation, and the resplendent scales of the 

 Brazilian diamond beetle. A noteworthy 

 feature of the exhibit was that each mount 

 was illuminated by a minute electric in- 

 candescent lamp, attached to an arm with 

 universal movement. The light was 

 shown to be perfectly manageable, intense 

 in quantity, and soft and pure as to qual- 

 ity. To the microscopists present this 

 exhibit was of especial interest. 14. At 

 the adjoining table the next exhibitor, 

 Arthur M. Hickox, showed the crystal of 

 brucine, using polarized light. Brucine is 

 an alkaloid extracted from Stryi/inos nii.x- 

 vomica, and its oddly arranged crystals 

 polarize brilliantly. 1 5. Dr. Thomas 



Morffew exhibited a slide showing the per- 

 fection to which microscopic engraving on 

 glass can be carried. He also showed 

 one of Mdller's wonderful ' Typen-Plat- 

 ten ' of diatoms, the name of each being 

 photographed beneath it. 16. The presi- 

 dent of the Society, Dr. S. M. Mouser, 

 showed a fine line of specimens of ana- 

 tomical and pathological subjects. An in- 

 jected ileum of the rat was much admired 

 for its beauty. A slide of Bacillus an- 

 Ihrax was shown with one of the new 

 Zeiss lenses made of the recently per- 

 fected optical glass. The crisp definition 

 of this objective was particularly notice- 

 able. 17. J. Z. Davis followed with 

 several slides of vegetable sections which 

 had been double-stained. The different 

 layers of tissue were sharply defined and 

 the coloring was brilliant. 18. A slide of 

 Bacillus tuberculosis was the subject 

 chosen by Dr. F. Riehl. Using a dry lens 

 and an amplification of 275 diameters, the 

 bacilli were shown with great clearness. 

 19. The absorption bands in the spectra 

 of various colored solutions were shown 

 by Professor Thomas Price with a micro- 

 spectroscopic ocular. This method of 

 testing has become of great value in many 

 directions, notably the detection of blood- 

 stains. The presence of almost incon- 

 ceivably small particles of coloring matter 

 can be made manifest by this instrument. 

 21. The last exhibitor was F. L. Howard, 

 who showed a fine mount of the beautiful 

 Polyzoan Biccllaria ciliafa, using polari- 

 scopic illumination to produce the glowing ■ 

 tints so much admired. The' ingeniously- 

 contrived microscopic lamp of this exhib- 

 itor also received much favorable attention. 

 A. H. Breckenfeld, Rec. Seer. 



S.A.N Francisco, Cal. 



The regular semi-monthly meeting 

 was held at No. 120 Sutter street, last 

 Wednesday evening, Nov. 10. Dr. S. M. 

 Mouser occupied the chair. 



A number of unusually fine examples 

 of lacunae, in quartz crystals containing 

 fluid and bubbles, were shown by J. Z. 

 Davis. 



Dr. J. H. Stallard drew attention to the 

 enormous development of the biliary ducts 

 in jaundice, and to other changes of struct- 

 ure in the liver incidental to that disease. 

 In illustration of the subject a number of 

 slides were shown, in which the ducts, 

 crowded with biliary resin, the excessive 

 development of fat cells, and other mor- 

 bid conditions, were clearly shown. 



Mr. Wickson stated that he had recently 

 found insects in large numbers on some 



