PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 
255 
have the case made of such thick brass, and the reduction in weight by 
using thinner metal, or aluminium, would be rather an improvement. 
Mr. T. C. White said he had been asked to say a few words as to 
his exhibit, some artificial crystals of hippuric acid. The natural 
crystals were acicular and not of any particular interest as microscopic 
objects, but if a saturated solution was made in boiling absolute alcohol, 
and a drop of this was placed upon a glass slide, it would spread out in 
a film, but the crystals would remain locked up until the slide was 
moistened or breathed upon. When this was done, however, a large 
number of circular crystals were started, and by varying the conditions 
under which the crystallization was carried on a number of very pretty 
patterns could be obtained. Objects of this class he knew would be 
said to belong to what Dr. Bowerbank used to call his “ Goodness 
gracious ” cabinet, but if any one wanted a particularly pretty polari- 
scope slide, it could be obtained in this way. 
Mr. F. J. Reid’s note on the action of menthol vapours on Staphylo- 
coccus pyogenes aureus was read by Prof. Bell. 
Dr. R. G. Hebb said this communication was extremely interesting 
as showing the remarkable antiseptic action of menthol ; but at the same 
time the facts were well known, being recorded in most works treating 
on the subject. 
Mr. W. H. Brown read a paper on “ Early Patents connected with 
the Microscope.” The Microscope of George Lindsay, from the Society’s 
collection, was exhibited in illustration. 
Mr. Nelson said that this paper showed a great deal of patience on 
the part of Mr. Brown, to whom their thanks were certainly due, for 
anything more tedious than searching through musty old records and 
extracting useful information from them, he did not know. Many of 
these things for which patents had been obtained were of very little 
value, and some of them were absurd, and the specifications so unin- 
telligible, that it was doubtful if the authors themselves understood 
what w r as meant. Blair’s method of making hollow lenses and putting 
fluid inside them was worth some attention, and he thought it very 
possible that they might hear more of this in the future. So far as 
advance in optical construction was concerned, the telescope was miles 
behind the Microscope, for even the last monster at Greenwich was made 
with two lenses as usual, and only two rays were combined, and the 
great Lick telescope had a large chromatic error, all of which could 
be removed by Blair’s method. It looked very much as if the limit had 
been reached as to the size of refracting telescopes, but a paper by Sir 
Howard Grubb pointed out how superior a reflector was to a refractor, 
and if the amount of money expended upon these huge telescopes had 
been spent on properly mounting reflectors, he thought the results would 
have been much more advantageous. 
Mr. C. Beck said he had been much interested in Mr. Brown’s paper, 
but thought they should not laugh too much at some of these old Micro- 
scopes, because any one who knew what the Patent Office was would be 
