APPLIANCES FOE DISSECTING TABLE 



4OI 



In using this table for dissection the arms have complete rest, 

 and 1 in the figure would represent the position of the dissecting 

 microscope. 



2 is a suitable position for a small easily managed microtome 

 for general (chiefly botanical) purposes. We find that of Ryder * to 

 answer this purpose admirably. 



3 is a small vessel of spirit (dilute) for use with the section 

 knife. 



4 is a stand of mounting media, in suitable bottles, as Canada 

 balsam in paraffin, or xylol, glycerine, &c., as well as small bottles 

 of reagents for botanical or zoological histology, &c. 



.1 is a nest of apertures in whjch to place partly mounted objects, 

 to protect them from dust, while "the balsam, dammar, &c. may be 

 hardening on the cover so as to be in a suitable state for final mount- 

 ing. A slide may go over the sloping front of this and wholly ex- 

 clude dust. 



6 is a stand of cements, varnishes, &c., such as are needful ; and 



7 is a turn-table. 



For the work of dissection, when the subject requires reflected 

 light, one of the desiderata is a mode of illumination at once con- 

 venient and intense. Mr. Frank R. Cheshire, F.L.S., &c., whose work 

 on ' Bees and Bee-keeping ' is a proof of knowledge and practice of 

 minute anatomy, adopts an 

 old plan which we have 

 always found admirable. It 

 is illustrated in fig. 337. 

 Rays of light from a lamp 

 are parallelised by a bull's- 



eye full upon an Abraham's FlG 887 ._ Mode of illumina ti n for 



prism and focussed upon the dissection, 



object. The prism may be 



mounted on a long many -jointed arm, and is of mbst varied useful- 

 ness. A Stephenson's binocular is, we believe, employed by this 

 gentleman, but it will serve admirably for any form of dissecting 

 instrument. 



For the more general purpose of the private laboratory a plain, 

 firm table 4 feet 6 inches x 3 feet in area, of a suitable height for 

 the worker, should be fitted as follows, viz. : if fig. 338 represent the 

 rough plan of the table, 1 and 2 are gas fittings attached to the main 

 to supply blowpipe, Bunseris burner, &c. 



4 is a small tube of metal attached to the water main, with a 

 tap, and bent in the form of an inverted fj, with the attached leg of 

 the pj the longer. This affords a pleasant stream of water for wash- 

 ing dissections, &c. ; and if the open end be made with a screiv, and 

 have a suitably made piece of tubing fitted to screw on to it, this latter 

 may be attached to an indiarubber tube, at the other end of ivhich we 

 may fasten fine glass nozzles, which will act as wash bottles of the 



bore, and serve with the finest dissecting work. 



5 is a glass trough for waste, with a perforated aperture, 6, con- 



1 Journ. R.M.S. new series, 1887, p. 682. 



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