114 TIIK AMKlilCAN MONTHLY [April, 



avoiilctl bv pastii)«; a piece of paper on the upper surface <>t the 

 sccuiul sliile. aiul iisiii<; that as a liaiulle. As a killing li(|iiid 

 Mr. Stiles «;eiierallv uses a solution of corrosive sublimate 

 |)Ius 70 per cent, alcohol plus a few (ir(»ps of acetic aciil heated to 

 >o" ; this passes throuijh the cuticle very rapiilly. 



Preserving Fluid and Fixing Material. — Dr. V. Krasser 

 rccomnu-mls as a preseivinj; tUiid (ov vejjetable substances a 

 mixtuie of i vol. acetic acid. 3 vols. <;lycerin, and 10 vols, of a 

 SO per cent, solution of sodium chloride. In this solution sec- 

 tions of beet and of etiolated potato-shoots retained their .struc- 

 ture antl their color for nearly a year. 



SalicN l-aliiehyde is a a jjooil tixing material for chioiuatophores, 

 as e. «j. the pigment of So/annvt lycvpcrsicnw. For this pur- 

 pose Dr. Krasser uses a l per cent, alcoholic solution. — "your. 

 Royal Mt\r. Soc. J'c/>.. jSoJ. 



To Cement Pieces of Cast-Iron. — I'ake 2 o/. sal ammo- 

 niac. I oz. subliniated sulphur, i lb. cast-iron filings. Mix in a 

 mortar and keep the powder perfectly dry. When desired for 

 use mix it with 20 times its weight of clean iron filings, grind the 

 whole in a mortar, wet with water until it becomes a paste. Ap- 

 plv to the parts to be mended. It will harden after a time and 

 cement the paits firmlv. 



Preparation of Larvae ofAsterias vulgaris. — Mr. G. W. 

 Field found that Kleinenberg's picric salt gave the most satisfac- 

 tory results for killing these larva'. Flemmiiig's, followed by 

 Merkel's fluid, gave excel lent results, as did also Perenyi's fluid. Oil 

 of cedar or of origanum proved most satisfactory for clearing. — 

 your. Royal Mirr. Soc Feb., 1^93- 



To Whiten Hands. — 5 or 6 grains of chlorinated lime dis- 

 .solved in a pint (jf lukewarm water will whiten the hands more 

 than anv other application. — yid. Med. Jr., Jan. 28, 'pj. 



lUOIJMiK AL N(nKS. 



Diminution of Life. — Life is believed to be a constituent of 

 matter, not a foreign force injected into it. In the carbonaceous 

 period a far greater quantity of matter was in the living condi- 

 tion than at present, say twenty times more than now. 



A Marine Biological Laboratory. — It is proposed to es- 

 tablish a Marine Biological Laboiatoryat (Jalvcston. to be under 

 the control and supervision of the Injard of regents of the Texas 

 State L niversity, and to be in charge of and conducted by the 

 professor of biology of the University faculty. Prof. Chas. L. 

 Edwards, and Prof. Allen J. Smith, of the Medical Department, 

 professor of bacteriology, pathology and microscopy. The 

 quarantine buildings at the east end of the island, we understand, 

 are to be appropriated for this purpose, and remodelled and 



