SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
754 
firmly to it ; it must be possible to write on the blocks without danger 
of the writing being easily effaced; and finally the substance must not 
be costly. According to the author, stabilite, the insulating material 
supplied by the Electricitats-Gesellschaft of Berliu, answers all these 
requirements very satisfactorily. It has a specific gravity of 1*6, so 
that it sinks in alcohol ; it is not hygroscopic, is insoluble in water and 
alcohol, and is not attacked even by hydrochloric and dilute sulphuric 
acids. It can be easily cut with a saw, and takes a good polish, and it 
is possible to easily write upon it either with a pencil or with ink. 
Glass Receptacle for Series of Sections.* — Prof. J. Schaffer de- 
scribes a new form of receptacle for series of sections, in which the 
object-holders can be placed with their long-diameter vertical, so that a 
considerable saving in liquid (alcohol, xylol, &c.) is effected. The 
Fig. 99. Fig. 100. 
Fig. 101. 
1 
vessel is of strong glass, and has cubic contents of 8*3 x 6*2 x 4*4 cm. ; 
at the bottom are seven grooves (fig. 99), which receive the lower ends 
of the object-holders, while the upper ends are held by the glass grating 
It resting upon the two projections S S. The cover D fits on tightly by 
means of a deep rim. The grating is either a bent glass rod with 
parallel folds (fig. 101, R), or has the form shown at R'. The latter is 
intended for the large paraffin size, 36 X 76 cm., the former for the 
smaller size. The amount of liquid required for seven wide object- 
holders is 100 ccm. When the small (25 mm.) object-holders are used 
the amount of liquid may be diminished to 80 ccm. by placing a glass 
block (fig. 100 at G) in the vessel. 
* Zeitschr. f. wiss. Micr., xi. (1894) pp. 150-3. 
