PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 
423 
for the removal of his name from the list of Honorary Fellows of the 
Society. All they knew was that Prof. Fol had started upon an expe- 
dition about eighteen months ago in a French ship of which nothing 
whatever had since been heard. The Council had, however, now thought 
it desirable to declare the vacancy, and had also proposed to fill it by 
nominating Dr. Robert Hertwig. 
Mr. G. C. Karop read the following letter from Dr. R. L. Maddox, 
with reference to a recent communication from Dr. A. M. Edwards on 
the subject of his illuminator. 
“In the Society’s last journal (April), I find at p. 286 there is a 
note from Dr. A. M. Edwards, of Newark, N. J., U.S., on “ A Simple 
Illuminator,” and a statement made that for the “ Rod Illuminator ” de- 
scribed by me and figured in the Journal, 1890, p. 101, I used a 
prism of glass ground down and placed beneath the object.” Reference 
to the Journal will at once show this to be an error. The illuminator 
was made from glass rod both white and blue, which I ground down on 
its long side to nearly the half-diameter, then polished and mounted it 
for use. 
I am glad to have Dr. Edwards’ testimony to its utility, and believe 
if made of different coloured glass, it might be useful, not only as an 
illuminator, but also as a light-filter when photographing small stained 
objects. 
Pray excuse me troubling you with this little correction.” 
Mr. Karop also read the following letter from Mr. W. H. Youdale, 
referring to some diseased beard-hairs he had sent to the Society : — 
“ I herewith send you some of my attempts to stain the diseased beard- 
hairs. They are very difficult to manage as they always break off at the 
diseased part when put in the staining fluid. I, however, also send some 
unprepared hairs for experimental use by any of your Fellows who will 
be kind enough to give you an idea of what the disease is, when you 
will perhaps communicate to me what you find out about it. In case 
you may have destroyed or mislaid my former letter, it will be advisable 
to briefly memorize the chief points of the disease. It seems to affect 
only the beard-hairs, and to render them brittle at the diseased part, 
which becomes swollen, causing the cells of the hair apparently to 
separate like those of a cane bruised by bending. The hair breaks at 
the diseased part by simply bending it. The diseased part too is lighter 
in colour, giving the impression that the beard has “ nits ” upon it. All 
the hairs are not diseased but about one-third to two-thirds of the entire 
number. There are many diseased parts on the same hair. The effect 
on the hair can be well observed on the accompanying unprepared hairs 
by viewing them when placed on a piece of dark-blue paper. I am sorry 
the stained specimens sent are such duffers, but they are really most 
intractable.” 
Mr. Karop said he had not been able to examine these specimens but 
he would do so, and from the description given he expected that they 
would turn out to be examples of what was known as Sycosis menti. 
