1895] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 115 



darkly sta^ined lines following the edges of the terminal 

 phalanx. The skin of the foot shows numerous sweat 

 glands dipping into the subcutaneous tissue. A one-inch 

 objective or a simple lens, held in the fingers, gives a 

 better view of the section than the compound microscope. 



With a one-fourth inch objective the process of ossifi- 

 cation is well seen. This transformation of the solid fetal 

 Cartilage has already commenced in the first phalanx of 

 the small toe, by a breaking down of cells and a deposi- 

 tion of fine granules of calcareous matter ; but in the first 

 phalanx of the great toe the process is further advanced, 

 showing a surface layer of bone of considerable thickness 

 on both sides, with a soft mass of marrow-like tissue 

 between. 



This first bone is not hard like that of an adult, but 

 more fibrous and spongy. Children frequently break 

 their long bones, producing what is termined a "green 

 stick" fracture, a rather troublesome sort of fracture to 

 straighten. — P. M. Club. 



Can Life Originate without Parent Forms ? 



By ARTHUR M. EDWARDS, M. D. 



NEWAKK, N. J. 



The revivification or renewal of life (restoration of life 

 according to Webster) in certain organisms is problem- 

 atical. That is to 'say, it is doubtful if life can be given 

 again to dead organisms. But new life is possible as 

 spontaneous generationists know. I was reminded of 

 this on reading a remark on the revivification of Rotif era 

 vulgaris by Dr. Joseph Leidy (Proc. Acad. Sci., Phila.. 

 1874. p. 88). He says he noticed that during a search for 

 Rhizopods, the water in which many of the common wheel 

 animalcules, Rotifera vulgaris, lived could be dried up, 

 and if again supplied to them the majority of them could 

 again swell out and become as lively as ever. This was 

 done with slides placed on the window lodge at a tern- 



