1884.] 



MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 



139 



croscope to be run by a small battery. 

 Such batteries are being made which 

 are unobjectionable in the house, and 

 quite economical to maintain. A 

 further study of the subject strength- 

 ens our conviction that the electric 

 light is to be largely used by micro- 

 scopists in the near future. 



Since the above w^as v^ritten w^e 

 have learned of a small electric lamp 

 which has been proposed for this pur- 

 pose. When we have an opportunity 

 to test its value and convenience for 

 ordinary use, our readers will hear 

 more of it. From Mr. Zentmayer 

 we learn that the Franklin Institute 

 has appointed a committee to experi- 

 ment upon the subject of electrical 

 illumination for the microscope and 

 lantern. The work is to be done be- 

 fore the opening of the electrical ex- 

 hibition, ^vhich is to be held in Phil- 

 adelphia in September, and the re- 

 sults will doubtless then be made 

 known. 



Some time ago the idea occurred 

 to us that for lantern purposes the 

 best possible light would be produced 

 by placing a piece of lime between 

 the carbons of an arc light, which, 

 being intensely heated by the current, 

 would give out a strong and very 

 steady light. When opportunity per- 

 inits, we purpose making a practical 

 test of the matter ; but in the mean- 

 time perhaps some one engaged in 

 the experiments at Philadelphia will 

 make the trial. 



NOTES. 



— V. B. Wittrock, the celebrated algolo- 

 gist of Stockholm, states that the algse of 

 the snow and ice of the Arctic zone in- 

 clude numerous species. The snow-flora 

 comprises about forty species and varie- 

 ties of the fresh-water forms, and the ice- 

 flora about ten, belonging to twenty-five 

 genera. 



— The eminent Mr. Pasteur announced 

 some time ago that he had discovered the 

 active agent of the dreaded disease known 

 as rabies, and, later, that he had been able, 

 by inoculation, to render dogs or persons 



proof against its attacks. This surprising 

 announcement has been received with 

 considerable doubt, and, recently, Mr. 

 Pasteur desired to have a commission ap- 

 pointed to test the matter by experiment- 

 ing upon dogs. An opportunity has now 

 been offered to make a practical test on a 

 human subject. An employee of the 

 Paris and Lyons Railway at Tarascon- 

 sur-Rhone, having been bitten by an un- 

 doubtedly mad dog, has placed himself 

 in the hands of the eminent savant. 



— We have received some sample 

 slides from Prof. John Peirce, intended to 

 prevent the drying of specimens during 

 several hours' continuous observation. A 

 rather deep circular cut is ground in the 

 middle of each slide, about half an inch 

 in diameter, which is intended to hold a 

 sufficient quantity of the water to prevent 

 evaporation from under the cover within 

 the cut. It is expected that physicians 

 will find these slides useful. They may 

 be purchased of Mr. R. L. Allen, Provi- 

 dence, R. I. 



—While in New- York not long ago, 

 we heard of an objective of somewhat 

 novel construction recently made by Mr. 

 William Wales. It was a high-power 

 lens, either an eighth or a twelfth-inch, 

 according to our present recollection, 

 mounted so as to be used in a binocular 

 microscope. Not having seen the objec- 

 tive, we can only repeat what we heard 

 concerning it, from which it appears that 

 the optical part was mounted in a thin 

 disc of metal like a silver quarter-dollar 

 piece, which screwed into the nose-piece. 

 The object was, obviously, to get the 

 lenses as near to the binocular prism as 

 possible. We are unable to add anything 

 as to the results obtained. 



— There are several meetings this sum- 

 mer which deserve the attendance of mi- 

 croscopists. It is well, however, that our 

 readers should be reminded thus early of 

 the meetings, in order that they may be 

 fully prepared for them. The one which 

 has, perhaps, the first claim upon micro- 

 scopists is that of the American Society 

 of Microscopists, which takes place in 

 Rochester, N. Y., during August. The 

 American Association meets a little later 

 at Philadelphia, and it is hoped the sec- 

 tion of histology and microscopy, of which 

 the Editor of this journal is Secretary, 

 will be well attended. The British Asso- 

 ciation also meets, in Montreal, in August, 

 and this will, doubtless, attract many per- 

 sons interested in science, not only for the 

 privilege of the meedng, but also to meet 



