150 



THE AMERICAN MONTHLY 



[August, 



For preserving vegetable tissues 

 generally, epiderms, sections of lea- 

 ves, woody and fibrous tissues. This 

 may be used either as a medium for 

 mounting in cells, or to preserve 

 specimens in bottles. It renders 

 very delicate tissues such as young 

 cells too transparent. 



2. Glycerin 3 volumes 



Camphor-water, 2 " 



For the same purpose as No. i, 

 but only to be used in closed cells. 



3. Distilled water 100 grammes 



Cloroform 2 " 



Shake vigorously. An excess of 

 chloroform will settle to the bottom 

 and thus maintain the solution satu- 

 rated. This liquid is useful for all 

 tissues in course of development, and 

 therefore tender — prothalli, embry- 

 onic sacs, archegones, and reproduc- 

 tive organs of cryptogams in course 

 of formation. 



4. Same as No. 3 with the addi- 

 tion of 4-5 grammes of glacial acetic 

 acid. 



This is said to preserve confervse 

 perfectly without contracting the 

 chlorophyll. It is useful for pith, 

 fungi with numerous spores, agarics 

 penicillia, etc., which tend to retain 

 air, because after a time the fluid ab- 

 sorbs the air. 



5. Dissolve camphor in a given 

 quantity of chloroform until a satu- 

 rated solution is obtained. Remove 

 the excess of camphor, and add a 

 quantity of chloroform equal to that 

 first used. Dissolve 4 grammes of 

 the liquid thus obtained in i litre of 

 water. This liquid may be used as a 

 substitute for No. i, and it possesses 

 this advantage that it only slightly 

 contracts the primordial utricle. For 

 very delicate algae, ( Spirogyra, 

 Rhynchonema^ etc.) it is preferable to 

 No. 6. 



6. Camphor water 75 grms. 



Distilled water 75 " 



Glacial acetic acid . . . . i " 



This liquid preserves marvellously 

 well the delicate algae {^Spirogyra 

 Rhynchonema, Zygnem a, etc.) * 



* See also the modification of this formula 

 on page 75, Vol. II. 



9. Distilled water. . .500 grms. 

 Phenate of soda. , i " 



For vegetable tissues. 



Two formulae have been omitted 

 from the above list because of their 

 limited usefulness. 



Diagnosis of Blood-stains. 



Dr. J. G. Richardson, of Philadel- 

 phia, gives the following summary of 

 the results of his measurements of 

 blood-corpuscles, published in Gail- 

 lard's Medical journal, and reprint- 

 ed in The Medical Herald, from 

 which we copy : — 



First — That in unaltered blood- 

 stains, as ordinarily produced by the 

 sprinkling of drops of blood upon 

 clothing, leather, wood, metal, etc., 

 we can, by tinting with anilin or iod- 

 ine, distinguish human blood-corpus- 

 cles from those of the ox, pig, horse, 

 sheep and goat, whenever the ques- 

 tion is narrowed down by the cir- 

 cumstances of the case to these 

 limits. 



Second — By the method I have de- 

 vised we can measure the size of the 

 corpuscles, and apply the two cor- 

 roborative tests of tincture of guaia- 

 cum with ozonized ether and of spec- 

 trum analysis, to a single particle of 

 blood-clot weighing less than one 

 fifteen-thousandth part of a grain, a 

 quantity barely visible to the naked 

 eye. 



Third — Hence, when an ignorant 

 criminal attempts to explain suspi- 

 cious blood-spots upon his clothing, 

 weapons, etc., by attributing them to 

 the ox, pig, sheep or goat, or to any 

 of the birds used for food, we can, 

 under favorable circumstances abso- 

 lutely disprove his false statement, and 

 materially aid the cause of justice by 

 breaking down his lying defense, 

 even if twenty years have elapsed. 



Fourth — But, if the accused per- 

 son ascribes the tell-tale blood to a 

 dog, an elephant, a capybara, or any 

 other animal in Dr. Woodward's list, 

 it is useless to attempt to dispute his 



