1689.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 137 



MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETIES. 



Pathological Microscopical Club. — Geo. W. Libby, Secy. 



Worcester, Mass., Jan. i, i88g. — Dr. Trowbridge read a paper 

 on " Ovarian Tumors." The histological structure and derivation of the 

 cysts and contents were especially discussed. Fibro-cyst of the uterus 

 is very apt to be confounded with the ovarian, and the structure of this 

 also was described. A recent specimen of the latter was shown, to- 

 gether with slides showing structure and contents, and slides of the 

 ordinary and papillomatous cystoma were presented. 



Jan. JJ-— Dr. Jordan read an interesting paper on " The Brain," 

 illustrating the subject by 30 or 40 slides, prepared by himself from 

 various parts of both normal and pathological brains. 



Jan. 2Z. — Several gross specimens were presented ; among them a 

 cystic tumor, an enlarged praspatellar bursa, an anencephalous monster, 

 and a papillomatous cancer of the caecum. The subject of the evening 

 was li Peritonitis." 



Jan. 2g. — Gross specimens were bones of a leg showing exastoses 

 and a small bony cyst of the jaw containing hard rice-like bodies. Sec- 

 tions of a blood-clot, cysto-sarcoma of the uterus, and tumor of the 

 kidney were shown. Dr. Miller then read his third paper on " Entozoa," 

 'the topic this evening being " Nematoda," illustrated by specimens. 



Feb. j.— Sections from a set of organs, lung, liver, kidney, and in- 

 testine, characterized by granular degeneration of the epithelium, es- 

 pecially marked in the intestine, were exhibited by Dr. Libby. The 

 lung showed purulent and fibrinous infiltration. The cause was pneu- 

 monia, going on to suppuration and death. The '.' Pathology of the 

 Placenta " was the subject of the evening's discourse by Dr. Greene. 



Feb. 12. — A five-months' foetus and a battle-door placenta were the 

 specimens, and the subject " Hydrocele." The chemical and micros- 

 copic characters of the fluid were a prominent feature of the evening's 

 study. 



Feb. ig. — Dr. Miller exhibited his new freezing microtome, explain- 

 ing and illustrating its use. By this method we are able to get fresh 

 microtome sections only a few hours after autopsy. The only prepar- 

 ation needed is soaking the blocks for a few hours in a thick gum solu- 

 tion. The histological structure is well preserved. The sections stain 

 well with carmine and the aniline dyes, but not with haematoxylon. 

 The subject of " Cystitis " was then presented by Dr. Welch. 



Feb. 26. — Dr. Clark spoke on the subject of " Epilepsy." No uni- 

 form lesions occur, but areas of occipital softening and capillary dila- 

 tations in the medulla are sometimes found. A spicule of bone near 

 the second frontal convolution was the cause in a recent qase. 



Mar. j. — Dr. Getchell gave the anatomy of ' k Tubercle." He doubted 

 that in all cases the bacillus is the exciting cause. Cases occur where 

 no bacilli can be found. In devoting our attention exclusively to the 

 bacillus we had forgotten the importance of shreds of lung tissue in di- 

 agnosis. These can always be found and are sure proof of phthisis. 

 Cheesy degeneration is now thought to be caused by the chemical action 

 of the microbe. It is not characteristic of tubercle alone. Numerous 

 slides illustrating the subject were shown, besides slides of normal in- 



