1901 MIOROSCOPIOAL JOURNAL. Bt 
two living entities, or rather two armies of living cells. 
When pathogenic germs find a human organism weak 
enough to permit an invasion, the battle is on, each using 
utmost power to overcome the ther. If the human cells 
are slow to act and the germs, or their products, are able 
to overcome some vital center, death results. If they re- 
spond quickly, antitoxins, phagocytes and digestive prod- 
ucts are poured into the blood, the invading germs are 
overcome, digested and excreted. The existence of the 
human organism and its ability to-complete its life cycle, 
depends upon its power to maintain germ immunity. The 
microscope, with careful technique, at times gives results | 
with almost mathematical accuracy, which cannot be 
claimed for the uncertainties of clinical diagnosis alone. 
In the use of the microscope, a physician should keep 
in mind that most often the greatest safety of his patient, 
and his own best mental development, comes through the 
close study of the clinical phenomena of disease.C Clinic. 
MICROSCOPICAL MANIPULATION. 
PROPER ANGLE OF THE MICROTOME KNIFE.—Dr. B. 
Rawitz (Journ. Micros.) finds from experiment that the 
microtome knife should be placed at an acute rather than 
at a right angle. When placed at the latter angle, the 
sections, according to their thickness, are always more or 
less crowded together, thus distorting the finer structures 
of the tissues cut. 
PATCHES ON SYCAMORE LEAVES.—If one will examine 
the under side of a sycamore leaf, he will probably find a 
number of minute dark brown discs attached to it. These, 
if carefully transferred to a microscope slide and moist- 
ened with a drop of water, or perhaps better, a 50 per cent 
solution of lig. potasse, will show with a sin. or tin. ob- 
jective,very pretty objects. They belong to the group of 
