324 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
MICROSCOPY. 
[The Publication Committee of the Journal has decided on resuming the issue 
of the Microscopic Bibliography, which was dropped on the lamented death of 
Mr. John Mayall, jun. It is intended in future to give at least the title of 
every work or paper (commencing from January 1st, 1899) coming under the 
head of Microscopy A or of Technique 3 (Microtomes); and we shall he much 
obliged to any of our Fellows who will call our attention to any such papers or 
articles published in Journals which are likely to escape our notice. — Editor.] 
A. Instruments, Accessories, &c.* 
(1) Stands. 
Two Old Microscopes. — At the meeting held on May 17th the Presi- 
dent called attention to two old Microscopes which had just been pre- 
sented to the Society. The first, which was given by Mr. J. M. Offord, 
was signed “ Adams,” and w as a very interesting model, which filled up 
a gap in the historic collection of the Society’s cabinet (fig. 72). The 
history of the Microscope stand might be divided into three epochs. 
The first might be called that of the telescope mount, because 1 the stage 
was quite disconnected from the body, and the Microscope was pointed 
to the object in precisely the same w 7 ay as a telescope. Hooke’s and 
Hertel’s models are examples of this type. The second epoch began 
with John Marshall’s Microscope in 1704. This Microscope had its 
body and stage attached to a limb, the limb having a joint at its lower 
end, where it was attached to the foot. In this class may be put ail non- 
inclinable Microscopes, as they are evidently the same as the type when 
the Microscope is used in a vertical position. Examples of this class : 
John Marshall’s ; Benj. Martin’s large Microscope, both being in the 
collection ; the non-in clinable Continental modern stand ; and the small 
Microscopes sold in toy shops. The Microscope of the third kind, 
which is the model chiefly used at the present time, was designed by an 
anonymous nobleman, and made by Adams in 1771. In this instrument 
the body, stage, and mirror were fixed to a bar, which was attached by 
a joint to the top of a pillar. The joint was of the quadrant rack form, 
actuated by an endless screw, in fact an adaptation of the Gregorian 
telescope mount common at that date. There have of necessity been 
variations in details ; the cumbersome rack joint has been superseded 
by the compass joint ; the pillar and flat tripod have been replaced by 
either the Powell tripod, or the Continental horseshoe foot, or the bent 
claw foot ; but nevertheless the principle remains the same, and this 
model has slowly but surely thrust out all other forms. 
The point to which the President called special attention is that we 
have hitherto found no Microscope, description, or figure of this last 
class of Microscope between the time it was invented, in 1771, and 1797, 
when it was adopted by Jones, the successor to Adams. We have here, 
however, a signed example by Adams which proves that this form of 
Microscope was made prior to 1797. It is true that a similar instrument 
* This subdivision contains (1) Stands; (2) Eye-pieces and Objectives; (3) Illu- 
minating and other Apparatus; (4) Photomicrography; (5) Microscopical Optics 
and Manipulation ; (6) Miscellaneous. 
