1893.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 319 



EDITORIAL. 



The San Francisco Society. — We have been much grati- 

 fied to receive the Transactions of the San Francisco Microscop- 

 ical Society, Part I, and to note the evidences of increasing pros- 

 perity in this society. We are also reminded thereby of the cor- 

 dial reception and many courtesies extended to the writer, in 

 1890, when on a visit to the Pacific Coast, by Messrs Brecken- 

 feld, Loy, Reidy, and others. 



This brochure of 72 pages contains, as a frontispiece, a photo- 

 graphic view of the society's room. Four papers are published : 

 (1) On Marine Fossil Diatomacese from California, by Dr. A. M. 

 Edwards; (2.) The Santa Monica Diatomaceaj, by Henry C. 

 Hyde; (3.) Molluscum Contagiosum, by D. W. Montgomery, 

 M. D., and (4.) The President's Address, by A. H. Breckenfeld. 



There is also a brief list of books contained in the library ; 

 list of members, list of slides and a copy of the Constitution. 

 The society has 52 members who pay dues at the rate of $12 

 per year, thus insuring quite a large income. The initiation fee 

 is $20. 



If we may be allowed a suggestion it would be that these fees 

 stand in the way of students, young people and persons of lim- 

 ited income becoming members and limit membership to men 

 of some means. We dare say that there are many young phy- 

 sicians who ought to be members and to whom that $20 gold 

 piece (which banker Breckenfeld keeps piled up in such beauti- 

 ful and enticing piles), is too much a rarity to be always handed 

 up for microscopical purposes. 



And yet the maintenance of such a society and the publica- 

 tion of such proceedings means a good many of those yellow 

 beauties which are the foundation of Pacific Coast prosperity. 



The San Francisco Society as well as our Eastern Societies 

 ought to devise means for interesting young men and others who 

 have not the means for paying membership fees. 



Whether the Transactions are to be on sale or not we have not 

 been informed ; and whether this publication will supercede the 

 reports of each meeting which have been furnished us for publi- 

 cation is also uncertain but we may certainly hope not. 



Renewal of subscriptions is now in order for 1894. — S. V. P. 



