1312 General Notes. es [ December, 
lead one to conclude that the entire blade could be made, by 
proper treatment, to cut in the same way. It was in this direc- 
tion that I at first hoped to find a remedy against the difficulty in 
question ; but I have found that when the blade is reduced to the 
requisite thinness, it lacks the firmness required for uniform sec- 
tioning. 
In Vol. xvi, p. 782, of this journal, I have given the method 
used, until quite recently, at the Naples Zodlogical Station-for 
preventing rolling. This method, which consists in holding a 
needle, spatula or brush lightly over the paraffine during the cut- 
ting of each section, is inconvenient and slow, and has already 
been abandoned for the one described below. 
THE SECTION-SMOOTHER! DEVISED BY MAYER, ANDRES AND GIES- 
BRECHT.—The section-smoother (“ schnittstrecker’’) is an instru- 
ment designed to prevent the rolling of sections ; it is attached to 
the knife itself, and thus accomplishes its work unaided by the 
hand. 
eaeee 
OSE 
4 cht. 
Fic: 1.—Section-smoother. After Mayer, Andres and Giesbre 
The accompanying figure represents a portio 
A 3 ney 
with the section-smoother attached, and a block of se show 
A section of the knife and rod, f’, is also given, 1n orde 
the position of the rod above the edge of the you” cylindrical 
The most important part of the instrument 1S pe alfel to, 
steel rod, f, which is supported in a position exactly pare i 
and close above, the cutting edge of the knife. 
1“ Neuerungen in de Schneidetechnik,” in Mittheilungen aus der Zoo SR 
zu Neapel, Vol. Iv, p. 429, 1883. 
n of the knife, 4, 3 
In this position Q : 
