378 General Notes. [ June, 
of the San Francisco Microscopical Society. Dr. A. M. Edwards, who 
was present as a visitor, introduced the subject, describing the growth 
and development of the fungoid growth which is observed in connection 
with the disease. He confidently believed that diphtheria is at first a 
local disease, caused and spread by the growth of these organisms, and 
that salicylic acid applied in the form of spray is capable of positively 
arresting the disease by destroying the organisms which caused it. 
believed the microscope, especially by its moderately high powers, to be 
the only instrument able to decide this question, and that its revelations 
fully sustained the theory of fungoid growths as a cause of the malady. 
Dr. S. M. Mouser, a member of the society, contended that the membrane 
was an exudation consisting of epithelial cells in various stages of forma- 
tion and disintegration, mucous and pus corpuscles, and spindle-shaped 
bodies distributed with some regularity, indicating organization of some 
kind, and regarded as fibre cells or smooth muscular fibres. He had 
not been able to detect anything that was certainly of a fungoid charac- 
ter. Dr. S. Laycock, of Edinburgh, had conceived the idea in 1858 that 
this disease was caused by a parasitic fungus, and the theory had been 
revived in Germany a few years ago, and salicylic acid used to destroy 
the fungus, but that treatment had now been abandoned, and the lo 
application of warm water and steam substituted for it. Aitkin, Beale, 
and others have considered the fungoid growths to be only accidentally 
present, and not a cause of the disease. The speaker believed it to be 
the generally received opinion of the medical profession at present that 
the disease is constitutional in its character, and that this theory is not 
disproved by microscopical observation. 
PrersonaL.— Wm. H. Walmsley, one of the best-known cultivators 
of microscopy in this country, retired on the first of April from the firm 
of Jas. W. Queen & Co., of Philadelphia. After the completion of his 
present European trip he expects to be able to open an American 
branch of “ R. & J. Beck,” with such a stock and at such prices as were 
never before seen in this country. In his new enterprise he will at least 
have the good will of all who have had previous dealings with him, 
which probably includes nearly all our microscopists. 
Rock Sections. — Alexis A. Julien, of the School of Mines, Co- 
lumbia College, 50th Street and 4th Avenue, New York City, is prepar- 
ing to order microscopic sections of rocks, minerals, and other hard 
substances, and intends shortly to keep on hand series of sections of 
American rocks and minerals. The sections are prepared with care and 
judgment, and at a cost of sixty cents each except for specially large 
_ or difficult objects. If so ordered they will be mounted on the standard 
plate glass slides 3x1 inch, but this size is not advised on account of their 
thickness, y% inch, preventing proper illumination under high powers by 
achromatic condenser, inconvenient length preventing ready rotation on 
small stages, liability to fracture, etc. Thinner plate glass slides (q's tO 
