140 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [June, 



diminishes the number of the organisms very markedly, and in case of 

 cure they can no longer be found. They are more numerous just before 

 the chill, and just after it are hard to find, for then the division has taken 

 j3lace and the small cells escape observation. 



The Bacillus of Diphtheria. — During an epidemic of diphtheria 

 in the village of Horn, in 18S9, bacteriological studies of the pseudo- 

 membranes were made in seven cases by Sprouck, Doets, and Wint- 

 gens. In each case they found the bacillus described by Klebs in 1883, 

 l^ut were unable to find the spores described by Babes. Cultures inocu'^ 

 lated in the trachea of rabbits and guinea pigs produced true diphtheria. 

 The toxic agent producing nephritis and paralysis appeared to be a 

 chemical substance produced by the bacilli. — La Sent. JMed. 



EDITORIAL. 



F. Blanchard, M. D. — It is with much pleasure that we announce 

 Dr. Blanchard's removal to Washington, D. C. After practising ten 

 years in his native State, he comes to this city of scientists as well as 

 of public officials to practise medicine and microscopy, as well as to 

 pursue his favorite study of botany, where a new and varied flora charms 

 him at every turn. 



Dr. Blanchard has contributed the Notes on Medical Microscopy to 

 this periodical during the past two years.- He will not only continue 

 this, but be more intimately associated with us in the editorial manage- 

 ment. He has already been appointed to a position in the Census 

 Office, where his medical knowledge will be of much value, so that 

 his, as well as our. Microscopical Journal work has to be done In 

 odd hours, evenings, etc. On this account our correspondents will 

 indulge us if we are not always so prompt as desirable in answering 

 letters, of which a great number reach us upon all imaginable subjects. 

 Dr. Blanchard's botanical reputation is world-wide, and he will be 

 cordially welcomed to this city by the botanists as well as by the micro- 

 scopists. 



o 



Slides Received. — We desire to retu^'i^- thanks to the donor of the 

 following interesting slide : Sundry diatom^jirepared by A. F. Bartges, 

 Esq., Akron, Ohio. 



NOTES. 



Preservation of Desmids. — Mr. W. H. Walmsley, in the English 

 Journal of Microscopy^ says: " Having been perfectly successful in 

 preserving the color in many of our fresh-water alga? , it may be that the 

 same method would prove successful with desmids. My plan is sim- 

 ply to have a wide-mouthed bottle, with glass stopper, filled with 

 distilled water, in which I have a number of pieces of camphor. 

 When it Is desired to mount the algse, I place a portion of the same in 

 some of this camphorated water, to which a few drops of glycerine 

 have been added, in a watch-glass. At first it will become lemon yel- 



