1892.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 211 



sectionizing, etc.) and natural history (results of microscopical 

 work). Slides were always presented illustrative of papers and 

 in suflicient duplication so that each member might take home 

 one for his collection. Rare mementos of departed members, and 

 valuable slides have thus been acquired by all, A form of label 

 was early adopted which has been adhered to ever since. 



When the Club was formed glass slips and covers could be 

 obtained only with difficulty and much expense. The worker 

 had often to prepare his own slips, covers, mounting media and 

 cells. Deep cells were rare and cost 5 shillings per dozen. A 

 member of the Club invented the use of button rings for the pur- 

 pose. Members also introduced an imbedding mass, benzole as 

 a solvent for balsam, a microtome, the iris diaphragm, and several 

 other articles. 



The following summary of papers read is of intesest : In Prac- 

 tical Microscopy, 15; in Botany, 59 ; in Zoology, 33 ; in Ento- 

 mology, 33; in Geology, 15 ; in Histology, 10; in Medical Mi- 

 croscopy, 7, and in Crystallography, 3. The number of papers 

 contributed by different members was as follows : 31, 26, 24, 14, 

 13, II, 9, S^y, 6, 6, 5,4; total 164. The two founders, who still 

 remain in the Club, have together contributed 55 papers in the 25 

 years. Most of the papers have been published in the Northern 

 Microscofiist or in some other suitable medium. 



The present name of Leeuwenhoek was not adopted until 1875 

 and after a brief lapse of a few months in the meetings. Leeuwen- 

 hoek's occupation seems to have been a question of historical dis- 

 pute, but recent research has established that he was beadle to 

 the town of Delft at a salary of 10 shillings per week. He served 

 from about 1660 to 1723, when he died. His duties were not very 

 different from those of a janitor, though perhaps considered more 

 honorable. He lived to be 91 years of age. 



Manchester, Jttly 27, 1892. 



I had decided to take but one of them, but since I find that the 

 Microscope is to be for amateurs and ih^ Journal for advanced 

 workers, I want them both. — L. A. Willson. 



Carbol-methylen-blue Method. — Herr F. Pregl advises 

 the following modification of Kiihne's methylen-blue method as 

 it is shorter and less decolorizing than the original procedure. 

 The sections stuck on slide or cover-glass are stained for ^ to i 

 minute with carbol-methylen-blue, with or without aid of heat. 

 They are then washed for a short while with distilled water. 

 Next they ai'e immersed in 50 per cent, alcohol until they become 

 pale blue with a somewhat greenish tinge ; after this they are 

 dehydrated in absolute alcohol, cleared up in xylol and imbedded 

 in balsam. — Jourtial Royal Alicr. Society^ Aug. ^g2. 



