38 



THE AMERICAN MONTHLY 



[February, 



ing a cheap and at the same time a ser- 

 viceable microscope that would pack into 

 a small box, has finally succeeded in per- 

 fecting a design which he believes will 

 prove satisfactory. From the drawings 

 we would say the plan seems feasible, and 

 worthy of being put in practice. A really 

 good and cheap microscope, that can be 

 carried about in a small valise when one 

 goes off for a visit, is still a desideratum. 

 Mr. Hurd calculates that his will pack in a 

 case 5X2^X1^ inches, inside meas- 

 urement. 



—Mr. J. W. Dunkerley, F. R. M. S., has 

 lately contributed some articles on the 

 anatomy and development of the Hydra 

 to The Microscopical News (Manchester, 

 England). In his last communication he 

 describes some experiments in watching 

 the growth of portions of a dissected 

 Hydra vulgaris. A tentacle removed 

 from the body showed contraction and 

 expansion, and in one hour a change in 

 form was observable. In seven days ten- 

 tacles began to show themselves at one 

 end, which was formerly the free end of 

 the tentacle, and on the fifteenth day 

 there were seven tentacles, and the new 

 hydra began to take food. The body of 

 the original hydra had been divided longi- 

 tudinally and the two parts rapidly re- 

 covered from their injuries, forming two 

 individuals. The author finds that hydras 

 which have been divided "grow much 

 larger, and bud more freely than those 

 not operated upon." 



— The slides of the different forms of 

 pathogenic bacteria now being advertised 

 by Mr. Hinrichs, of Baltimore, are pre- 

 pared by Dr. G. Marpmann, of Esens, 

 Germany. We have seen several prepa- 

 rations of the Bacillus Kochii, more com- 

 monly known as B. tuberculosis, which 

 were excellent. If the others are equally 

 good, we doubt not many readers will be 

 glad to secure a full series of specimens. 



— The Rev. A. B. Hervey, whose name 

 is familiar to all readers of this Journal, 

 and especially to those who study the 

 marine algae, has nearly completed the 

 translating and editing of a work which 

 which will surely be of great value to all 

 microscopists who are engaged in scien- 

 tific work with the microscope. It is a 

 new book by Dr. Behrens, treating of the 

 methods of conducting microscopical in- 

 vestigations in the botanical laboratory, 

 but the American edition will contain much 

 additional matter drawn from the experi- 

 ence of Mr. Hervey and other American 

 investigators. We await its appearance 

 with much interest. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



The "Congress" Nose-piece. 



To THE Editor.— Mr. W. H. Bulloch 

 has announced a new adjustable nose- 

 piece as his own invention, when it is, in 

 truth, entirely my own ; invented three 

 years ago, and shown in drawings to a 

 number of microscopists at the Detroit 

 meeting in 1880 and at various times since, 

 and referred to briefly in my Presidential 

 address at Chicago before the American 

 Society of Microscopists last August. Un- 

 wisely I allowed the pressure of other mat- 

 ters in my too busy life to prevent me 

 from taking more active measures to bring 

 my invention before the general micros- 

 copical public, though intending from 

 month to month to send a description of 

 it to your Journal. Greatly disappointed 

 that I had allowed myself to be so busy 

 as to neglect bringing it formally and in 

 detail before the A. S. M. at its last meet- 

 ing, I asked Mr. Bulloch, at that meeting, 

 to make up some nose-pieces according to 

 my plan, that they might be shown to the 

 Society at its next meeting, and brought 

 into general use. He at once consented 

 to do so, and I described the plan of my 

 invention to him, and sketched in pencil 

 its very simple details. After some months' 

 delay he made it up and sent me a speci- 

 men for approval and further suggestions. 

 I sent a brief acknowledgment of his let- 

 ter and of the instrument itself on a postal 

 card, and was preparing to send a more 

 detailed letter, when I was surprised by 

 seeingthe nose-piece figured and described 

 as an invention of Mr. Bulloch's, and a 

 patented one at that. 



\ greatly regret that he has taken this 

 step, especially as I had freely offered the 

 use of my invention to him and to Messrs. 

 Bausch and Lomb three years ago, and to 

 Mr. Griffith and others since. Desiring 

 that microscopists everywhere should have 

 the benefit of what I deemed a valuable 

 improvement in the instrument, I asked 

 nothing for the privilege of its manufac- 

 ture save recognition of the fact that I was 

 the inventor. 



At that time, however, the time was not 

 ripe. Makers and users were satisfied to 

 regard the society screw, and the double or 

 triple nose-piece as quite sufficient for all 

 needs, and I was too busy with other 

 matters to urge my device into notice. 

 Within the past year a number of other 

 devices have been brought out, such as 

 Sidle's bayonet catch. Pease's "facility," 

 Nelson's slotted screw, etc., all aiming 

 to accomplish the end I had already 



