326 
PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
a cirrhosed liver, but a post-mortem examination revealed diffuse 
carcinoma of tlie organ. 
Ejpulis-Myeloid Sarcoma. — Mr. Needham, in exhibiting a section of 
the growth, remarked that he had brought it as being the first time he 
had ever seen myeloid (giant) cells in an epulis. He had examined 
about three dozen in all, but always had found them fibrous in 
character. This tumour had been growing but ten days ; the patient 
was a child who had had a tooth knocked out by accident, from the 
socket of which at once the epulis began to appear. 
A discussion ensued, and the President and Dr. Goodhart expressed 
their opinion that the giant-celled epulis was found far more frequently 
than Mr. Needham had stated. 
Spinal Cord in Leprosy. — Dr. Pritchard had found in specimens of 
the above, peculiar rounded microscopic bodies scattered throughout 
the nerve substance. As far as he knew the case was one of tubercular, 
not anaesthetic, leprosy. 
Freezing Microtome. — Mr. Williams showed in action a microtome 
invented by himself, but first suggested by the simple but effective 
microtome of Dr. Pritchard. The instrument consists of a wooden 
block, hollowed out and having rising from its centre a rod of brass, 
terminating in a flattened head the size of a penny-piece. This pro- 
jects slightly through a central aperture in piece of plate glass, which 
acts as a lid, and is strongly set in a wooden frame. The hollow block 
being filled with pounded ice and salt, the cover is fitted on, and the 
upper surface of the central brass stem smeared with mucilage. As soon 
as the mucilage whitens, indicating that the brass support has reached 
freezing point, the piece of tissue, animal or vegetable, is placed upon 
it and covered over. It sets firmly almost at once, and then the 
section is cut from it at one sweep by a straight-edged razor set in a 
triangular brass frame, which is rapidly pushed over the surface of the 
glass lid ; the height of the razor, and therefore the thickness of the 
section, being regulated by three screws which support the triangle, 
and on the points of which it is slid backwards and forwards. The 
essential difference between this microtome and most others is in this 
last-mentioned particular, i. e. that the specimen remaining stationary, 
the razor is lowered or raised to meet the requirements of the section. 
By means of it Mr. Williams had successfully cut from a leaf, first a 
complete section from apex to base, including just the cuticle, and 
then a second, including the parenchyma ; so accurately can the 
razor be adjusted. The ice being in a wooden receptacle, remains in 
action for a long time. 
QUEKETT MiCEOSCOPICAL ClUB. 
Ordinary Meeting, September 22, 1876.— Henry Lee,Esq., F.L.S., 
President, in the chair. 
A paper by Mr. W. K. Bridgman, " On an Improved Anti- 
vibration Turn-tray," was read. The principle upon which this 
instrument was constructed consisted in opposing two forces in 
opposite directions. If a board be supported upon lour bent springs, 
