172 



THE AMERICAN MONTHLY 



[September, 



The American Society of 

 Microscopists. 



BY PROF. D. S. KELLICOTT. 



The Sixth Annual Meeting of the 

 American Society of Microscopists 

 was held this year in Chicago. It 

 began Tuesday, August 7, and closed 

 the following Friday. There were 

 about one hundred present ; and in 

 the zeal and earnestness of the mem- 

 bers no meeting of the Society has 

 surpassed it. The whole time of the 

 eleven sessions was given to reading 

 and discussing papers, describing 

 new apparatus, or the exhibition of 

 objects and methods of work. A part 

 of one session was devoted to exposi- 

 tion of methods by various experts. 

 Special tables were provided at which 

 the vaiious operations were going on, 

 so that the members could visit each 

 in turn, at pleasure. At one table 

 Dr. Lester Curtis explained his method 

 of injecting the blood vessels of a 

 cat ; at another Prof. Burrill was stain- 

 ing and mounting Bacteria ; Professor 

 Chester showed his new method (cov- 

 er removable) of dry-mounting, etc., 

 etc. This novel feature will be re- 

 peated next year, as it proved a most 

 interesting and useful hour. The ar- 

 rangements, as before, will be under 

 the efficient direction of Mr. E. H. 

 Griffith. More than ninety new mem- 

 bers were elected. The meeting next 

 year occurs in Rochester, N. Y. The 

 officers are as follows : President, 

 Hon. J. D. Cox, Cincinnati, O. ; Vice- 

 Presidents, Prof. Wm. A. Rogers, 

 Cambridge, Mass., and Prof. T. J. 

 Burrill, Champaign, 111. ; Secretary, 

 D. S. Kellicott, Buffalo, N. Y. ; Treas- 

 urer, Dr. Geo. E. Fell, Buffalo, N. Y. ; 

 Members of the Executive Committee, 

 Prof. A. H. Chester, Clinton, N. Y., 

 Gen. Wm. Humphreys, Jackson, Mich., 

 and Dr. H. A. Johnson, Chicago, 111. 



On Tuesday evening occurred the 

 annual conversazione and reception 

 tendered the Society and the State 

 Microscopical Society of Illinois, by 

 the Calumet Club, at their new and 

 elegant club-house.. There were two 



hundred and fifty microscopes in po- 

 sition on temporary tables, in two 

 large and beautifully furnished par- 

 lors. The tables were skilfully ar- 

 ranged, securing convenience and 

 comfort both to exhibitors and guests. 

 By the side of each microscope was a 

 card bearing the exhibitor's name, 

 that of his instrument and of the ob- 

 ject shown from 8 to 9 o'clock, and 

 of another shown from 9 to 10 o'clock. 

 Among so many instruments there 

 was of course much variety, — almost 

 every working model made in this 

 country or in Europe had its represent- 

 atives. It was certainly gratifying, to 

 some at least, to notice that a major- 

 ity of workers in this country are using 

 the generous, handy models, of inter- 

 mediate size, of American and English 

 make. 



It is safe to say that this grand ex- 

 hibition has never been surpassed in 

 this country. Has it in any other ? 

 This is said, and the query put — hav- 

 ing in mind the number and character 

 of the instruments, the nature and 

 grade of the objects exhibited, and 

 the manner in which they were shown. 

 Another factor in the pleasure of the 

 evening, so far as the societies were 

 concerned, was the large and intelli- 

 gent party who could see and appre- 

 ciate the exhibitions. It is a note- 

 worthy fact that many investigators 

 exhibited specimens of their own best 

 work. It may be invidious to mention 

 special cases when there are so many 

 worthy ones that must remain un- 

 noticed ; but, surely, no one who saw 

 and became interested in the set of 

 plates exhibited by Prof. Rogers, can 

 question the propriety of special men- 

 tion. The series of plates illustrated 

 his paper read before the Society, on 

 the action of a diamond in ruling lines 

 on glass. The series, after illustrations 

 are prepared for the proceedings, it is 

 understood, are to be deposited with 

 the Royal Microscopical Society. In 

 a separate room, darkened for the pur- 

 pose, L, D. Mcintosh exhibited a va- 

 riety of objects by means of his solar 

 microscope and "ether oxygen light ; " 



