1890.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 123 



By Dr. W. H. Seaman, with B. & L. and Beck: Section of fossil 

 limestone and circulation of blood in fish. 



By Mr. A. N. Skinner, with Zentmayer : Textile fibres — silk, linen, 

 cotton, and wool. 



By Mr. C. W. Smiley, with Crouch : Dorsal and ventral views of 

 embryo star fish. 



By Dr. C. H. Stowell, with Beck: 350 arranged diatoms, with pho- 

 to-micrograph of the same, and lady's pin, with finely ruled bands. 



By Dr. Thomas Taylor, with Acme No. 3, Zeiss, and B. & L. : Stone 

 cells of tea leaf, tea leaf hairs, serrations, and cluster of hooks in em- 

 bryo tape-worm in heart of hog. 



By Dr. W. H. Wilmer, with Schrauer : Stomach of frog. 



By Dr. L. D. Wilson, with B. & L. : Sea-weed. 



By Mr. J. M. Yznaga, with B. & L. : Butterfly scales arranged in 

 form of bouquet. 



Although many of these exhibits from a scientific point of view w^ould 

 be considered of little value, yet they have a decided influence in edu- 

 cating the public to a just appreciation of the science of microscopy. 



Some Practical Business Applications of the Microscope. 



By Dr. FREDERICK GAERTNER, 



PITTSBURGH, PA. 



The man who has learned the use of the microscope has certainly 

 gained a great deal, but the man who claims to be a scientist without 

 knowing the practical value of the microscope and without having 

 learned its use ought not to be classed as such. The microscope when 

 first invented was considered as an accessory or a plaything. But since 

 1S20 and later (1840) the first European oculist and scientist began to 

 make microscopical researches, not only in the medical profession, but 

 also in botanical, geological, and other studies. Since rS6o and 1870, 

 the world over, the microscope has been applied to almost every study 

 and analysis. Had Galen, Celsus, and Hippocrates, and other ancients, 

 had the use of the microscope they would not have advocated the theory 

 ,that the arteries in the human being contained air during life, instead 

 of oxygenized blood. They w^ere of the erroneous opinion that the 

 blood simply acted as a humor in lubricating the tissues. Had it not 

 been for the microscope, James Paget, the great English surgeon and 

 physician of St. Bartholomew's Ho.spital, in the year 183/], would not 

 have discovered the Trichina spiralis^ which had already slaughtered 

 its thousands, dating as far back as the time of Moses. 



The microscope is certainly the greatest aid a scientific and a profes- 

 sional man can have. A physician without a microscope is like a man 

 without his hands ; he is uncertain and unprotected. He cannot arrive 

 at a correct and positive conclusion in diagnosing and prognosing his 

 cases. It is important to have the microscope at hand for examining 

 the sputa of human beings, so as to be able to state positively whether 

 or not the man is suflering with consumption (tuberculosis). It is 

 important to be able to determine with a certainty, at an early date, 

 whether or not a man is suflering with cancer of the stomach by 

 examining the vomits. A microscope magnifying from i to 5,000 



