1896] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL 359 



that its shape cannot afterwards be modified. In the 

 formalin solution the org-ans chang-c color and become of a 

 dirty bluish gray. On now placing- them in ninety-five 

 per cent, alcohol the normal color returns. Before per- 

 manently placing- the org-an in alcohol it must be washed 

 with alcohol until the latter no long-er becomes cloudy. 

 The material must not be washed with water; it is left 

 in alcohol for varying time until the normal color has ag-ain 

 fully returned ; if left longer the alcohol removes the color. 

 For a kidney or spleen twenty-four hours will be sufficient. 

 The permanent preserving- fluid is equal parts of g-lycerin 

 aud v/ater ; the material floats at first, but sinks later; the 

 color is now at its best ; after a little time the fluid becomes 

 yellowish and requires renewal. Tissues so preserved 

 have not underg-one the slig-hest alteration in color during 

 nine months. The method is not applicable to the preser- 

 vation of other color than that of blood ; thus icteric liver 

 is well shown. — Int. Med. Magazine. 



Microscopic Objects, — Thin sections of hard substances 

 are made by cementing- them to g-lass with Canada balsam, 

 or on an oil-stone with water, then softening- the cement 

 with heat, and turning- them over and treating- the other 

 side in the same way. They are then polished, if desired, 

 with putty-powder on silk, cloth, or leather. — English Me- 

 chanic.' 



Urinary Examinations. — Dr. Lichty {Medical News) 

 holds that : 1. A continued low specific gravity must be 

 looked upon with grave suspicion, until it can be proved 

 beyond a doubt that the kidneys are normal. 2. In neph- 

 ritis, especially of the chronic interstitial type, it may hap- 

 pen that at times during the greater part of the disease 

 the urine may contain no albumen that can be detected. 

 3. Casts may be present in the urine when it is impossi- 

 ble to detect any albumen by the usual tests. 4. Casts 

 are very easily destroyed in the urine by bacteria during 

 the process of fermentation, and unless the examination 

 is made within an hour or two after the urine is passed, 

 the failure to find casts does not prove the non-existence 



