1888.] MICEOSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 213 



sweetness of cane sugar, has only recently been investigated with reference to 

 its therapeutic qualities. The substance is extracted by a very intricate pro- 

 cess in which sulphuric acid is employed. The Council of Hygiene of the 

 Seine at Paris has investigated the effects of this sugar upon the human sys- 

 tem. It is found to be antiseptic, paralyzes the bile secreting activity of the 

 liver, is not assimilated as a food, and is liable to produce and aggravate gas- 

 tritis. While these results are not reported with the degree of exactness which 

 a physiologist would expect, still they seem to argue against the use of sac- 

 charine. In addition, it is stated that a man in sound health may not take 

 more than a grain and a quarter per day with impunity. It is possible that 

 the presence of unremoved impurities causes the ill effects of saccharine. If 

 they belong to the ' sweet ' itself, then it will be useless to expect to find here 

 a substitute for cane sug-ar. 



Nucleus in Oscillaria and Tolypothrix. — D.H. Scott* contributes the 

 result of studies upon the nucleus in the ' blue-green ' algae and diftei's from 

 the general assertion that these are separated from other plants among other 

 characters by reason of the lack of nuclei. He is not the first one to prove 

 the point, Zacharias having recently shown a nucleus present in yeast, Oscil- 

 luria and Tolypothrix. Scott prepared his specimen as follows : — ^ minutes 

 in methylated ether (mixture of methyl alcohol and ether), 4 minutes in 

 Kleinenberg's haematoxylin, mounted as usual in Canada balsam. In the 

 middle of each cell a deeply stained rounded body is seen, which has a dis- 

 tinctly fibrous structure comparable with the knot stage of the ordinary 

 nucleus. A second mode of preparation was this : — -two hours in picro-ni- 

 grosin solution followed by immersion in saturated solution of chloral-hydrate 

 for two minutes, finally mounting in glycerin. The observations are figured, 

 and leave no doubt of their truth in spite of the weight of authority asserting 

 the absence of nuclei from schizomycetes. 



EDITORIAL COMMENT. 



By henry L. OSBORN, 



HAMLINE, MINN. 



American Journal of Morphology. — The second volume of this pub- 

 lication has appeared and fully maintains its very high standard of excellence. 

 It is entirely safe to say that it is not inferior to any biological journal published. 

 The printers leave no point for dissent in the paper or typography, and the 

 plates are many of them printed in Germany. 



Of the articles it can be said that they are of the highest excellence and will 

 demand the attention of all investigators. One of the articles, a contribution 

 to cytology, or the mechanism of the animal cell, by the editor. Professor 

 Whitman, is reproduced in abstract in this number of the Jour,xal. The 

 original article, however, should be read if possible. It is a source of pride 

 that the venture, for such in some degree the Journal of Morphology must 

 have been, has not proved a failure. The number of subscribers to such a 

 publication is necessarily small, and the expense of its production very great. 

 Every well-wisher for the cause of Animal Morphology who can afford to do 

 so may show his sincerity by becoming a subscriber. 



* Journal Linn. Soc. 1888, p. 188, vol. xxiv. 



