1880.] 



MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 



131 



I 



est and instruct a general audience ; 

 a man who possesses these qualities 

 has it in his power to accomplish 

 much more for his fellow-man, than 

 has the most profound scientist 

 who lacks the literary training. 



I believe, therefore, that a socie- 

 ty like ours should have for its aim 

 not only the instruction of its mem- 

 bers, but also that it should endea- 

 vor, by every means in its power, 

 to make the department of study 

 which it represents popular and at- 

 tractive to the people at large. 



If we should throw our doors 

 open to the general public for 

 every meeting, I am not sure but 

 we would benefit many persons 

 who now know nothing of our 

 studies, and I see no reason why 

 we should sit with doors closed 

 against any who chose to enter. 

 Our scheme of giving a public lec- 

 ture every two months certainly 

 seems to be a good one, and I 

 would like to see it carried out with 

 spirit. The man who lives only for 

 himself is not a high type of man- 

 hood. The society which strives 

 to benefit only its members, it 

 seems to me, leaves unfilled a wide 

 field of greater usefulness. Success, 

 however, will not come without 

 some efforts on our part, and even 

 then it will not be immediate. 



I do not forget that a little learn- 

 ing misapplied may prove danger- 

 ous, but I believe that the people 

 now need more instruction in na- 

 tural sciences. We should urge the 

 introduction of science-teaching in- 

 to the public schools, and frown 

 upon the farce which represents it 

 there now ; we should afford every 

 opportunity to those who desire 

 knowledge to attend our meetings 

 and see for themselves the objects 

 of which we speak ; for the methods 

 of thought engendered by scientific 

 study, when once they gain a con- 

 trolling influence upon the people. 



will exert a strong moral influence 

 upon them. 



The remains of superstitions that 

 have come down from the forgotten 

 past, changing their forms with 

 every advance of civilization, still 

 linger with us, and exert a power- 

 ful influence upon the thought 

 and feelings of the people ; but as 

 our knowledge of Nature and Na- 

 ture's processes increases, they will 

 disappear ; a fierce battle must yet 

 be fought between science and theo- 

 logy, and the purest Christianity 

 of the present day must give way 

 to a more rational, not to say a 

 more human and a better religion. 



But I do not ask you to become 

 teachers of ethics or expounders of 

 a new religion, perhaps I have been 

 led away from my subject by the 

 course which my thoughts have 

 taken. The idea which I have de- 

 sired to convey is simply this, that 

 as a society we can, if we will make 

 the effort, do very much, with the 

 means and talent which we possess, 

 toward making the study of science 

 popular with the people, and that 

 in doing this we will not only 

 benefit ourselves, but also exert an 

 influence for good upon those who 

 avail themselves of the instructions 

 which we offer. 



Microscopic Examination of 

 Tissues after the Admin- 

 istration of Mercury. 



Continued from page 113. 

 ***** 



Oleate of Mekcuey. — With a 

 vague idea that all mercurials de- 

 pended for their efficacy upon their 

 conversion into an oxide in the body, 

 though no valid reason for, or dem- 

 onstration of, the theory can be 

 found, in 1872, Dr. Marshall sug- 

 gested the incorporation of mercuric 

 oxide with oleic acid as an eligible 

 substitute for the common ointment. 



