336 



sciujsrcu. 



[Vol. VIII., No. 193 



or about one-eighth English measurement. It is 

 not arranged for cover-glass correction, as this is 

 not necessary, that function being obtained by 

 means of the sliding tube of the body. It con- 

 tains five lenses, and has a numerical aperture of 

 1.4, which is a trifle less than has been obtained in 

 England and America (1.5); but, so far as its 

 optical qualities are concerned, it is far superior 

 to any thing ever before made, the new glass per- 

 mitting the absolute correction of all aberrations. 

 The field is perfectly flat, the minutest object in 

 the extreme edge of the field showing as sharply 

 and clearly as though it were in the centre. With 

 the vertical illuminator, an amphipleura (silvered) 

 is resolved into i^earls, — not merely in spots, but 

 over the entire frustule, — and with such clear- 

 ness that these pearls can be counted. In the study 

 of other diatoms, I have found details which have 

 hitherto escaped notice. As to the bacteria, details 

 of structure are shown that have never before 

 been seen, — details that will without doubt serve 

 to differentiate them by ocular means. Accom- 

 panying the objective are three eye-i^ieces, — two 

 for direct use, and one for photography. They 

 are also made of the new glass and by entirely 

 new formulae." 



The health commissionee of Chicago has pro- 

 hibited the removal of milk from the cow-sfcables 

 of that city which are infected with contagious 

 pleuro-pneumonia. As was to be expected, the 

 owners rebel, and, unless closely watched, will 

 doubtless smuggle the milk into the market. The 

 New York health authorities are inspecting the 

 beef which comes to the city from Chicago in 

 refrigerator-cars. Thus far no unwholesome meat 

 has been detected. This inspection is of value, as 

 some carcasses may be so diseased as to be detected ; 

 but unless the inspection is made at the slaughter- 

 houses, where the viscera can also be examined, 

 no guaranty can be given that the meat is that of 

 a healthy animal. The last report indicated that 

 three thousand animals were under quarantine in 

 Chicago. 



The recent death of two persons in a New 

 York hotel from the inhalation of illuminating- 

 gas draws attention again to the dangers con- 

 nected with this service. Just how the accident 

 occurred has not yet been satisfactorily explained ; 

 but it is probable, that, as the victims were city 

 residents, they did not resort to the method of 

 extinguishing the light usually adopted by stran- 



gers from the country, namely, by blowing it out. 

 It is more than likely that the flame was a smaU 

 one, which was either blown out by a current of 

 air, or extinguished by a change of pressure 

 within the pipes. In many occuj)ied buildings 

 the old-fashioned gas-cocks, those without stops, 

 still exist ; and it not infrequently happens, that, 

 by an incomplete closure of the outlet, gas escaj)es 

 into the room, sometimes to a dangerous degree. 

 It would be a valuable improvement in the man- 

 agement of our cities and towns, if it was made 

 the duty of some of the municipal departments to 

 periodically inspect the gas pipes and fixtures of 

 all buildmgs occupied as residences, with power 

 to compel the owners to provide the most perfect 

 apparatus, or, failing so to do, to be liable to a 

 fine, which could be used by the authorities to do 

 the necessary work themselves. In recent years 

 valuable laws have been passed, regulating the 

 construction and drainage of dwellings, and the 

 same supervision could be advantageously ex- 

 ercised over the arrangement and quality of the 

 gas-pipes and faucets. 



THE GERMAN ASSOCIATION OF NATU- 

 RALISTS AND PHYSICIANS. 



' The meetings of the Association of German 

 naturalists and physicians closed this afternoon, 

 very successful according to German, but hardly 

 so according to American notions. The associa- 

 tion is a curiosity in itself ; for although it now 

 has held its fifty-ninth meeting , and has been in 

 existence since 1822, it has no permanency what- 

 ever, but dissolves at the close of every meeting, 

 after it has appointed a president, a vice-presi- 

 dent, and a secretary for the next year, and has 

 selected the next meeting-place, which must be 

 the residence of the first and third officer. Into 

 the hands of these gentlemen is given every thing 

 pertaining to the follovving gathering, which 

 always commences on Sept. 18. The Association 

 of German naturalists and physicians has no cor- 

 porate existence, owns no property whatever, and 

 meets for the avowed purpose of facilitating ac- 

 quaintances among the members. Scientific dis- 

 cussions are of secondary importance. For in- 

 stance : that which a section apparently considers 

 first is, "Where shall we drink our Fruh-schoppen, 

 and which shall be our Stamm-Tcneipe f '' And in 

 the ' Staram-kneipe,' behind the beer-glass, dis- 

 cussions are held often more profound than those 

 at the official meetings. The advocates of the 

 often-quoted assertion that beer is always in- 

 jurious will have to acknowledge themselves de- 



