PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
55 
After examining it, several members of the Society considered the 
tumour as affording no positive evidence of ovarian structure. 
Adenoma of Lachrymal Gland . — The Secretary read a paper by 
Dr. Johnston, of Baltimore, illustrated by specimens, and a photograph. 
The patient was a woman ast. 22, who had had for ten years an orbital 
tumour that caused exophthalmos to the extent of lj inch, pushing 
the eye against the ala of the nose. The tumour was painless, and 
sprang from the lachrymal gland. On January 6, 1876, he excised it, 
and by degrees the eyeball somewhat receded into its normal position, 
and the sight was partially restored. 
Microscopically the tumour was an adenoma, in which dacryoliths 
of carbonate of lime were seen, and which gave the black cross with 
polarized light. 
The President thought growths of the lachrymal gland were more 
common than was usually stated ; he had seen at least six cases 
himself. 
Ecchymosis of Shin. — Mr. Golding-Bird showed a specimen stained 
with indigo-carmine and carmine. The epithelium as well as the 
connective tissue were variously coloured red, blue, purple, &c. ; while 
the blood-cells that were extravasated everywhere between the fibres 
and fat-cells were of a vivid apple-green. 
Spinal Cord in Hydrophobia. — Dr. Coupland exhibited specimens of 
the spinal cord in this disease, showing the exudation of leucocytes 
around the vessels lately described by Dr. Gowers. 
San Francisco Microscopical Society. 
A meeting was held by the San Francisco Microscopical Society 
on Thursday evening, February 15, in their new rooms, which were 
crowded. 
Dr. S. M. Mouser exhibited a slide mounted by him with a portion 
of diphtheritic membrane, and made some extended remarks regarding 
the fungoid theory of its development ; he assuming that such was not 
the cause of the disease. He said that the members would find in the 
specimen of diphtheritic membrane on the slide, epithelial cells in 
various stages of formation and disintegration, mucus and pus cor- 
puscles ; also spindle-shaped bodies, distributed with some regularity, 
indicating some sort of organization, though there are no indications 
of blood-vessels. Some authors suppose the membrane to be com- 
posed of hardened mucus. It seemed to the Doctor to be an exuda- 
tion, and that the spindle-shaped bodies alluded to were fibre cells, 
or smooth muscular fibre. He had not been able to detect anything 
that he could say was certainly fungi, although they have been thought 
to cause the disease. In 1858, Dr. T. Laycock, of Edinburgh, con- 
ceived the idea of its being caused by a parasitic fungus, and the fact 
was noticed in Braith wait’s ‘ Betrospect,’ in July 1859, part 39. 
In Aitkin’s ‘Practice of Medicine,’ vol. i. page 516, it is said: 
“ Vegetable growths, as oidium, occur in the pellicle of diphtheria 
from time to time, and have been reported by some as a constant 
occurrence. It is, however, by no means so, and the accidental 
