CHAPTER VIII. 



ON DISSECTING OBJECTS FOR THE MICROSCOPE. 



REFERENCE has already been made in Chapter V. to the 

 manner of dissecting and preparing certain animal and vegeta- 

 ble tissues, yet much has been omitted, which may perhaps be 

 more fully appreciated under the present head. 



The instruments required in microscopic dissections, or mi- 

 nute anatomy, are various kinds of forceps, scissors, scalpels, 

 needles, troughs, loaded corks, and arm-rests. 



The forceps, in addition to the ordinary forceps used in 

 coarse or rough dissection, may be made with closely-fitting, 

 sharp points. The scissors are similar to those used for surgi- 

 cal purposes. It is useful to have a pair with the point of one 

 of its blades blunt and truncated, for cutting open tubular 

 parts, as the alimentary canal. Scissors with curved blades 

 are also of service. A pair of very small scissors, whose 



Fig. 32.. 



blades are kept open by a spring, a, Fig. 32, was much used by 

 Swammerdam in his dissections. One of the handles is attached 



