1885.] 



MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 



87 



in glycerin jelly. For histological 

 objects generally it will be a welcome 

 addition to the present stock of mount- 

 ing media. Tooth, bone and other 

 sections would undoubtedly show to 

 better advantage in this medium than 

 in balsam. 



Mr. C. V. Smith, of Carmarthen, 

 Wales, a well-known mounter of fine 

 botanical objects, to whom I have 

 sent specimens of this gum, speaks 

 verv highlv of it for botanical mounts. 

 He writes me that he has never tried 

 anv medium which showed aluerone 

 grains in section of castor-oil plant as 

 satisfactorilv. It shows the mycelia 

 of fungi more clearly than most other 

 media. 



Objects mounted a year ago show 

 no signs of deterioration, and I have 

 every reason to believe that it will 

 prove an excellent medium for per- 

 manent mounts, preferable to balsam, 

 not only on account of its higher re- 

 fractive index but also because it seems 

 somewhat less brittle. 



When the solutions kept in capped 

 bottles become thick by evaporation 

 it is best to transfer them to a com- 

 mon bottle and add the proper amount 

 of solvent. This will cause a floccu- 

 lent precipitate. Let stand for several 

 days, filter back into capped bottle, 

 when a clear solution, ready for use, 

 will be obtained. These solutions 

 are liable to become turbid, but thus 

 far I have had no trouble in using 

 them, the hardened gum always prov- 

 ing perfectly clear and transparent, 

 especially if hardened by the aid of 

 slight heat. 



Orono, Maine. 



[We have received a specimen of 

 the gum from Prof. Aubert and also 

 a sample of the solution in chloro- 

 form described above. Our experi- 

 ence in the use of the medium leads 

 to a full confirmation of all that Prof. 

 Aubert says concerning it. Two 

 mounted preparations of diatoms ac- 

 companied the specimens, one of 

 which is six months old and perfectly 

 clear. The gum can be purchased 

 in an)' drug store, and those who are 



not provided with a chemist's dry- 

 ing oven can use the oven of a stove 

 to dry the gum, or the gum may be 

 placed in a wide-mouth bottle and 

 stood in a vessel of hot water. — Ed.] 

 o 



Microscopical Societies and Micro- 

 scopy.* 



The Washington Microscopical vSo- 

 ciety takes great pleasure in welcom- 

 ing their friends to this first annual 

 soir(§e, which is a happy and en- 

 couraging close of the first year ot 

 our existence as a society. It is es- 

 pecially fitting that scientific societies 

 should exist in Washington, which 

 contains more men engaged in scien- 

 tific pursuits, in proportion to its 

 population, than any other city in the 

 Union. And the number of these 

 societies that have recently been es- 

 tablished is only one sign of civic 

 progress towards a broader, richer 

 and more cosmopolitan life than we 

 have yet shown. The first micro- 

 scopical society in this country ap- 

 pears to have been formed in New 

 York city, about the year 1840, 

 chiefly of medical men, who are 

 naturally particularly interested in 

 the microscope 



At that time the Wilkes Exploi"ing 

 Expedition wanted a microscope, but 

 none were on sale, and finally the loan 

 of an instrument from Dr. Goddard 

 was obtained. This early society 

 had few immediate imitators. In 

 1S70, at the time of forming a so- 

 ciety in Ti'oy, N. Y., there appears 

 to have been only two or three in the 

 United States. The establishment 

 of the Postal Microscopical Club, in 

 1875, no doubt gave an impulse to 

 microscopic work throughout the 

 country, and in 1879 over thirty so- 

 cieties were reported to exist, which 

 number has since much increased. 



The microscope is an instrument 

 for scientific research. In these days 

 we hear much said of science, with- 

 out always having a clear idea of its 



* Abstract of an address by Prof. W. H. Seaman at 

 the first annual soiree of the Washington Microscopi- 

 cal Society, March 24th. 



