ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
825 
Again, the Microscope is applied in a medico-legal view, especially in 
malpractice, suits of damages, suits involving, rather than determining, 
the adulteration of foods and drink as to their purity, and finally, in 
determining whether or not food or drink has spoiled, undergone 
fermentation and the accumulation and development of micro-organisms, 
such as germs, microbes, and bacilli. Also, in the examination of 
oleomargarine and in the adulteration of drugs, liquors, milk, groceries, 
sausages, &c. 
The application of the Microscope in a legal point of view is altogether 
new. We anticipate surprising effects from the application of the 
Microscope in the examination of legal documents, U.S. currency, and 
printed matter. 
The following lines are from a very ample paper read by G. E. Fell, 
M.D., before the American Society of Microscopists, entitled “ Examina- 
tion of Legal Documents with the Microscope.” 
More than once has investigation with the Microscope cleared up tho 
path of the attorney, ferreted out the work of the contract-falsifier, and 
shielded the innocent from the unjust accusations of interested rogues. 
The range of observation in investigations of written documents with 
the Microscope is a broad one. We may begin with the characteristics 
of the paper upon which the writing is made, which may enable us to 
ascertain many facts of importance ; for instance, a great similarity 
might indicate, with associated facts, that the documents were prepared 
at about the same time. A marked dissimilarity might also have an 
important bearing upon the case. 
The differences in the paper may exist in the character of the fibres 
composing it, the finish of the surface, whether rough or smooth, the 
thickness, modifying the transmissibility of light, and the colour, all of 
which may be ascertained with the Microscope. 
The ink used in the writing may be examined. If additions have 
been made to the document within a reasonable time of its execution, it 
is well to examine it microscopically with a great probability of detecting 
the differences of the original and additional inks. These differences may 
be present as follows : Some inks in drying, assume a dull or shiny 
surface. If in sufficient quantity the surface may become cracked, 
presenting, when magnified, an appearance quite similar, but of a 
different colour, to that of the dried bottom of a clayey pond after the 
sun has baked it for a few days. The manner in which the ink is 
distributed upon the paper, whether it forms an even, somewhat regular 
border or spreads out to some extent, are factors which may also be 
noted. The colour of the ink, by transmitted or reflected illumination, 
is a very important factor. This, in one case, proved of great import- 
ance, and demonstrated the addition of certain words, which completely 
annulled the value of the document, involving several thousand dollars. 
And in a case where the lines of a document were written over with the 
idea of entirely covering the first written words, the different colours of 
the ink were revealed by the magnified image as seen under reasonably 
low powers of the Microscope. 
Special attention is desired to the examination with the Microscope 
of written documents, United States currency, printed matter, &c., as to 
their genuineness from a legal standpoint. The principal feature in the 
examination of written and printed documents is in the erasures and the 
