126 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [Apr., 



ican microscopes made a good European showing before 1850. 

 Some twenty years ago Dr. Holmes selected for a gentleman of 

 Sacramento, Cal., two very fine Tolles's objectives which he 

 made a present of to Dr. G. L. Simmons of that city. He says 

 that the objectives were in his office when a Chinaman came 

 for consultation, as usual accompanied by other Chinamen, as 

 friends — that wliile he attended to his patient the others stole 

 them — that a police investigation revealed that the objectives 

 were thrown into Sacramento river-bed mud and the brass 

 boxes were used to keep opium in for smoking. Sad fate for 

 such nice instruments that were selected by so honorable a mi- 

 croscopist. Surgeon General A. C. Page of Truro, N. S., 

 Government Inspector of Hospitals and Asylums for Nova Sco- 

 tia, was a student in 1854 and 1855 of Dr. Holmes and well 

 remembers the brilliant demonstrations then made. 



Encouraging Microscopical Science. — The Vermont Mi- 

 croscopical Association has just announced that a prize of $250, 

 given by the Wells & Richardson Company, the well-known 

 chemists, will be paid to the first discoverer of a new disease 

 germ. The wonderful discovery by Professor Koch of the com- 

 ma bacillus, as the cause of cholera, stimulated great research 

 throughout the world and it is believed this liberal prize, offered 

 by a house of such standing, will greatly assist in the detection 

 of micro-organisms that are the direct cause of many diseases. 

 Any information upon this subject will be cheerfully furnished 

 by C. Smith Boyton, M. I)., secretary of the association, Bur- 

 lington, Vermont. 



DIATOMS. 



What Are Diatoms? — The plants in question are so small 

 as to be seen only with the aid of the microscope ; those of or- 

 dinary size, when magnified about three hundred and fifty 

 diameters, apj^ear about a quarter of an inch long. Others are 

 much larger. They are curious little j^lants with a silica shell, 

 which in certain places, is provided with little apertures 

 through which living parts of the plant protrude. In this way 

 they are enabled to move about freely in the water by which 

 they are generally surrounded, for, though they are strictly 



