1891.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 183 



Some People in Washington Who Work with the Microscope. 



Bv F. BLANCHARD, M. D., 



WASHINGTON, D. C. 



In preparing this unpretentious article, the writer has spent some de- 

 lightful hours among the microscopists of this city. To say that he has 

 everywhere met the utmost courtesy and cordiality is speaking very 

 mildly. Everywhere he has been obliged to tear himself away from 

 wonders of beauty and skill, patiently and gladly shown to him. Thank 

 you, one and all, ladies and gentlemen. 



Probably no other city on this continent can present such an array 

 of microscopes and skilful workers therewith as this city of the Capital. 

 It is not proposed to give in this paper a complete list of our micro- 

 scopists, but simply to mention some of the busy workers, and tell what 

 they are doing just now. Many of them are not known distinctively as 

 " microscopists," and are inclined to disclaim the title. As one of them 

 expressed it : " The microscope is simply one of my tools." 



Our first visit was to the Army and Medical Museum. Here in an 

 upper room Dr. Gray revels amid stacks of slides, culture tubes and 

 cameras. Just now he is at work on foetal sections and photographs 

 of the same. Doubtful if those photographs can be matched to-day on 

 this planet. He has a good word to say for Koch's tuberculin. At 

 the National Museum was Curator George P. Merrill at work in micro- 

 graphic petrography ; Naval Surgeon J. M. Flint, with a splendid col- 

 lection of deep-sea Foraminifera, exhibited on a most igenious rotary 

 stage of his own construction, and an equally ingenious slide-carrier, 

 consisting of an endless band holding scores of standard slides; F. H. 

 Knowlton at work on paleo-botany and the internal structure of fossil 

 plants, and Theodor Holm, once a Dane, but now a good American 

 citizen, doing fine work in vegetable morphology and anatomy. His 

 drawings are very delicate and true. 



In the Agricultural Department everybody uses the microscope. 

 Miss Carrie Harrison has done some good work on the marine Algae ; 

 Mr. Rose pores over the Composita;, and Prof. Holzinger is doing some 

 good work in private on the mosses. Prof. Galloway is authority on 

 vegetable pathology, and his assistant. Miss Effie Southworth, can show 

 as good mounted specimens as can be seen anywhere. Miss May Var- 

 ney deals with Fungi sent in for identification. D. G. Fairchild has 

 for his specialty the diseases of nursery plants; W. B. Waite, the pear 

 blight; Erwin F. Smith, the peach yellows. 



Here, too, is Dr. Thomas Taylor, President of our Microscopical So- 

 ciety, noted for his work on the microscopy of animal fats. He is also 

 an authority on the Agarici. Just now the tensile strength of fibres is 

 occupying his attention. 



Dr. Theobold Smith can tell you all about pathogenic microbes. At 

 present he is working on the germs of Texas fever. 



Miss Ellen Cathcart works upon the mosses, and Mr. G. B. Sud- 

 worth on the microscopy of woody plants. 



To readers of the yournal-we hardly need mention the name of Dr. 

 V. A. Moore, who carries on his studies in bacteriology at the Agricul- 

 tural Department. 



At the Geological Survey building, we had barely time to gather the 



