1897] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 217 



ing organs commonly though not always present ; and 

 the same words might be said of the flower-cluster 

 or "inflorescence," and of the whole "plant," whether it 

 be the tiny herb or the greatest tree. In some of the 

 lowest forms, where each plant is but a single cell, and 

 where the simplest conceivable form, perhaps, of sexual 

 reproduction takes place by one of the plants merging 

 itself into and thereby fertilizing another (conjugation), 

 the cells are similar under the microscope, and unless 

 there is some diff'erence of structure as yet unknown, it 

 may be assumed that each one is hermaphroditic in its 

 powers, being able to fertilize or be fertilized as the 

 chance may occur. So in the slightly higher grade of 

 filamentous algge, where the cells are united in a line, not 

 apparently for interchange of food or products; but 

 for securing advantage of position by serving as stalk to 

 each other, and to that important extent constituting a 

 true organism, the functions of fertilization seem to be 

 completely mixed. When the filaments are crowded 

 during the season of fertiliz.ation, their various cells fer- 

 tilize their neighbors or are fertilized by them, appar- 

 ently at random ; and unless there is a sexual difference 

 of structure still invisible and unknown, these cells also 

 must have hermaphroditic powers. 



Microscopical Methods of Examiuation of Powdered Drugs 

 and their Adulterants. 



By albert SCHNEIDER, M. D., 



MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. 



Recent applications of the microscope have opened a 

 new field of work to the practicing pharmacist. Unfor- 

 tunately, only a few of the colleges of pharmacy yet real- 

 ize the importance of the microscopical study of powdered 

 drugs. But in this age no one is worthy to be considered 

 a leading pharmacist who is ignorant of it. It is now 



