146 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [August, 



Vorticella convallaria^ for one of the calices was in a strange and semi- 

 encysted stage, while the remainder were in full normal activity. I watched 

 with great interest and care, and have in my folio still the drawings made at 

 the time. The stalk carrying this individual calyx fell upon the branch of 

 vegetable matter to which the Vorticellan was attached, and the calyx be- 

 came perfectly globular, and at length there emerged from it a small form, 

 with which, in this condition, I was then quite unfamiliar. It was small, 

 tortoise-like in form, and crept over the branch on sitae or hair-like pedicles ; 

 but, carefully followed, I found it soon swam, and at length got the long, 

 neck-like appendage oi Amphileptus afiser ! 



Here, then, was the cup or calyx of a definite Vorticellan form changing 

 into {}) an absolutely different infusorian, viz., Aniphileptus anser I 



Now, I simply reported the fact to the Liveipool Microscopical Society, 

 with no attempt at inference ; but, two years after, I was able to explain the 

 mystery. For, finding in the same pond both \\ convallaria and A. anser ^ 

 I carefully watched their movements, and saw the A?nphileptiis seize and 

 struggle with a calyx of convallaria and absolutely become encysted upon 

 it, with the results that I had reported two years before. And there can be 

 no doubt but this is the key to the cases that come to us again and again, of 

 minute forms suddenly changing into forms wholly unlike. — Pf'of- Dallin- 

 ger^ in Presidett-tial Address to Royal JMicroscopical Society^ 1888. 



The Microscope in the Diagnosis of some Cases of Hay Fever. — 



In the Jotirnal of the New Tork Microscopical Societv for April Prof. 

 Samuel Lockwood treats of the ' Pathology of pollen in Aestivis, or Hay 

 Fever,' and describes a form of pollen which fills the air at certain times in the 

 White Mountains, and causes great suflering among the guests at the various 

 hotels and sanitaria who are subject to hay fever. The microscope shows the 

 pollen to be that of the ' golden-rod ' and of the ' rag-weed.' The experience 

 of Prof. Lockwood reminds me of an incident which occurred in my own 

 practice several years ago. A lady owned a beautiful plantation on the Mis- 

 sissippi river about 90 miles above Memphis, Tenn. She could remain at 

 home the year round in health and comfort except at a certain time in the very 

 early spring, along in February, if I I'emember correctly. Then she would 

 commence to sneeze, and, after a day or two of occasional spells of sneezing 

 and running at the nose, febrile symptoms would come on. These were at- 

 tended w^ith swelling of the lids, inflammation, and finally a complete clos- 

 ing of both eyes. Asthma and all the other delights of hay fever were also 

 present, and, unless she left home, this condition of things would last not less 

 than two and sometimes as long as six weeks. If she went away from home 

 even for a few miles, especially if she left the ' bottoms,' she would recover 

 like magic. I was called to attend her one spring, and being satisfied from 

 the history of the case that the inciting cause was local and mechanical, I ex- 

 amined the discharge from the nostrils and found it full of a peculiar pollen. 

 The trees were all bare as yet, and there was no sign of a green twig or leaf 

 to be seen. A systematic search of the trees about the house, around the 

 lawns, and in the park (a 2000 acre tract of wooded land) finally showed me 

 that the pollen was that of a species of alder, which grew in great plenty there 

 but nowhere else in the country. According to orders from the mistress, all 

 the trees of that species that could be found were sacrificed, and after that 

 the attacks were much milder, though she did not quite escape. This was 

 owing no doubt to residual trees growing on lands not belonging to her. — St. 

 Loriis Aled. and Surg. Jnl. 



