1890.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 159 



had acquired a small stock of scientific terms and could glibly prattle 

 of apparatus they had never seen, maintained discreet silence. 



The reorganization of the society took place April 5, 1872, and it 

 then consisted of fifteen members. The officers elected were as fol- 

 lows : Henry G. Hanks, President; A. B. Stout, M. D., Vice-Presi- 

 dent ; C. Mason Kinne, Recording Secretary ; Henry C. Hyde, Cor- 

 responding Secretary, and D. P. Belknap, Treasurer. The remaining 

 members who assisted in the organization were Charles H. Denison, 

 James Stratton, J. H. Hill, George A. Treadwell, James Murphy, M. 

 D., Melville Atwood, H. J. Holmes, G. Kustel, D. Vandenberg, and 

 Charles G. Ewing. The first scientific paper read before the society 

 was " On the Scale Insect," by C. Mason Kinne. The society was 

 incorporated under the laws of the State of California August 30, 1872. 



Good work was accomplished during 1872, and there was much en- 

 thusiasm. The large microscope and accessories were purchased at a 

 cost of $1,500. The first mineralogical ^^aper was read by Guido Kus- 

 tel (on a peculiar form of silver mineral), and the society, having 

 gained some notoriety, received its first visit from a representative of 

 the press at its meeting on November i. 



At the meeting held September 18, 1873, a donationof seaweeds with 

 diatoms attached was received, and this was the first time diatoms were 

 mentioned in any of the meetings. This is an event worthy of mention, 

 because the members of the society afterward took an active interest in 

 the study of diatoms, and the cabinet is very rich in diatom prepara- 

 tions. Three years later, August 3, 1876, the famous Santa Monica 

 deposit of diatomaceous earth was first brought to the notice of the so- 

 ciety, and so rich in new species did this small find prove, that special- 

 ists and learned societies from all parts of the world eagerly sought a 

 small quantity for study. 



This paper being entirely historical of the society's proceedings, 

 covers briefly the twenty years of its existence ; its life has been an active 

 one. There have been read at its meetings, by eminent specialists, pa- 

 pers of great value on all subjects pertaining to microscopy. Its work 

 has been recognized and appreciated by kindred societies in America 

 and abroad, especially by the Royal Microscopical Society of London. 

 It is the intention of the society to publish its history and proceedings 

 at an early day, including some of the valuable papers read at its meet- 

 inofs. 



MEDICAL MICROSCOPY. 



By F. BLANCHARD, M. D., 



WASHINGTON, D. C. 



Disease Germs. — The June number of the Broaklyti JMedical 

 yournal contains the remainder of Dr. J. G. Johnson's vigorous paper 

 on '' Disease Germs and Disinfectants." We are inclined to accept his 

 conclusion that the causative microbe of scarlatina is the bacillus de- 

 scribed by Jamieson and Eddington, of Edinburgh. His experiments 

 seem vigorously conducted and the results decisive. He claims w^on- 

 derful results from the disinfectant treatment of scarlatina, painting the 



