The President's Address. 
73 
tions for. making Artificial Calculi,, with some Observations 
on Molecular Coalescence/^ by Mr. Uainey, Lecturer on 
Anatomy, &c., at St. Thomas's Hospital. Those who have 
seen the artificial calculi produced by Mr. Rainey, cannot 
fail to have been struck with the remarkably close resem- 
blance they bear to those naturally produced in the urine of 
the horse, and what is still more surprising, having a compo- 
sition chemically identical with them. Globular crystals of 
carbonate of lime, ammoniaco-magnesian or triple phosphate, 
and a globular compound of the two, being found in various 
forms, viz., laminated globules, dumb-bell shaped, nodulated, 
as well as the sharp angular forms of the triple phosphate = 
After a most ingenious enunciation of the theory of the pro- 
duction of these calculi, according to the author's concep- 
tion, he says, Many of the facts presented by the molecular 
disintegration of living tissues, and usually attributed to the 
direct influence of a vital force, are the immediate effect of a 
mechanical agency.^' Also, that where the conditions ne- 
cessary for the operation of physical forces upon the mole- 
cules of matter are present, whether in organic or inorganic 
substances, these forces do act either effectively or ineffec- 
tively. Vitality may oppose, modify, or direct their opera- 
tion ; but there is no reason to believe that it either creates or 
annihilates them.'' 
Mr. Eainey propounds the doctrine that all of the animal 
and vegetable tissues, whether hard or soft, are equally under 
the influence of molecular coalescence ; and the views set 
forth in this paper, startling though they be, deserve the 
most patient examination and careful consideration of every 
philosophical explorer. 
In the class of manipulation and microscopic adjuncts, 
we have had two papers by Mr. T. S. Ealph, of Wellington, 
New Zealand, which are interesting as coming from the 
antipodes. No new principle was involved in the subject of 
the former paper, the author probably being unaware of what 
had been done in this country more perfectly in a similar 
direction. There was, however, a useful suggestion in the 
latter, and it gave rise to an interesting discussion on 
mounting objects generally, in which much practical infor- 
mation was elicited, and which was pretty fully reported in 
the last number of the ' Quarterly Journal of Microscopic 
Science.^ 
The last paper on my list, a very unpretending one, but 
offering a suggestion of considerable value to the microsco- 
pists, is one by Mr. J. Maltwood, ^' On a Finder for register- 
ing the position of Microscopic Objects.^' 
