224 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [Dec 



EDITORIAL. . 



Periodical. — It is unfortunate that the monthly, "Nat- 

 ural Science," is to lose its editor and perhaps its life 

 with the end of the year, but while it lives it kicks, calling" 

 the Scientific American in its Aug-ust number "anAmeri 

 can Pirate," and accusing- it of repeatedly stealing- from 

 the columns of Natural Science. 



Cells. — At the late meeting- of the British Association 

 for advancement of Science, forty pounds ($200) were ap- 

 propriated for Prof. E. A. Schafer to use in research 

 upon the micro-chemistry of cells. 



Diagnosing Diphtheria. — Jaques urg-es early bacteriolo- 

 g-ical examination in all ang-inas. In malig-nant cases make 

 a direct diag-nosis. Take a little of the mucous or of the 

 membrane directly from the site of the invasion. Spread 

 it on a cover-g-lass or slide, fix by heat, stain and examine. 

 In other cases a culture should be made. Jaques has laid 

 aside the laboratory test-tube and substituted a small 

 metal culture box. Having- inoculated it he carries it in 

 the vest pocket where the heat of the body keeps up the 

 proper temperature. After three or four hours he makes 

 the examination. 



Phyto-Plankton. — Georg-e Murray and V. H. Blackman 

 have studied the nature and extent of the little under- 

 stood microscopic objects called coccospheres and rhabdo- 

 spheres. Their calcareous plates are described in minute 

 detail. The coccospheres have a central g-reen chroma- 

 tophore which separates into two on the division of the 

 cell. These plants belong- to the unicellular alg-ae. They 

 are found on the surface, in deep-sea deposits and in 

 fossil beds. 



Forest Leaves. — Microscopic observation of the living- 

 leaf reveals that the chlorophyll g-ranules are individually 

 independent globules of dense protoplasm, without proper 

 walls, plung-ed in the midst of the fundamental protoplasm 

 and ting-ed by the g-reen matter, their form and size re- 

 maining- unaltered when extracted by ether, etc. 



