1900] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL 69 



may be taken. In this case observations should be made 

 of the form, size, position, and character of the hilum, 

 and the presence, frequency, and direction of the striae. 

 It is only by a systematic survey of the characters ot each 

 slide upon similar lines to those laid down that the stu- 

 dent can hope to obtain from mounted specimens an in- 

 telligent apprehension of the anatomical and histological 

 features of vegetable drugs. — Pharm. Journal. 



Notes on Microscopy. 



F. SHIIyLINGTON SCALES, F.R.M.S. 



Microscopical Examination of Steel. — The Micro- 

 scopical examination of steel and of alloys in engineer- 

 ing laboratories is no new thiug, but its value and utility 

 in the steel industries were brought by Mr. C. H. Rids- 

 dale prominently before the members of the Iron and 

 Steel Institute at their autumn meeting. Mr. Ridsdale 

 gave some of the results of his study of soft steel up to 

 the present time, and explained how he had systematised 

 its microscopic study, and adapted it to the commercial 

 as well as the scientific requirements of a laboratory where 

 commercial interests predominated. In the interesting 

 discussion that followed, stress was laid upon the impor- 

 tance of formulating a method of procedure, by means of 

 which uniformity of results might always be obtained. 

 Prof. Porter, of Montreal, stated that he was engaged in 

 equipping an expensive micro-laboratory in his college at 

 Montreal, and remarked that the importance of the sub- 

 ject was fully recognized both in Canada and the U. S. 



New Objective Changer. — An objective changer has 

 recently been produced. It is both inexpensive and effec- 

 tive, and is less cumbrous than that of Zeiss. Into the end 

 of the microscope tube fits a screwed ring provided with 

 a semi-circular jaw beneath, the jaw itself lying immedi- 

 ately beneath the ring and being kept against it by a spring 



