Abstract
LONDON Royal Microscopical Society, June 9.—Rev. Dr. Dal-linger, F.R.S., President, in the chair.—Mr. G. F. Dowdeswell described a preparation of the microbe of rabies in the spinal cord of a rabid dog, which he exhibited X 400. —Prof. F. Jeffrey Bell exhibited a specimen (received from Prof. Mclntosh) of a very young starfish, in a stage so early as to show clearly the knob-like portions of the larval organ. Prof. Mclntosh has been giving some of his knowledge and skill to fishing observations, which had been rendered possible by the facilities afforded by an enlightened Fishery Board in Scotland.—Mr. F. R. Cheshire exhibited a device for the better examination of Bacteria in culture tubes, the cylindrical form of the tube so distorting the appearance of the contents that it was almost impossible to make any observations upon, them under the microscope. The first plan adopted was that of placing the tube in a trough of water and then looking at it through the front of the trough. This was found to diminish the aberration very much, but it did not get rid of it altogether, and was, therefore, only available under very low powers. Water having a refractive index of about 1.333 and alcohol of about 1.374, by adding water to alcohol a mixture having a refractive index of anything between the two could be obtained according to the proportions used. Gelatine has a refractive index rather higher than that of water, and the interposition of a cylinder of glass added something to this. The trough which he employed had a front of rather thin glass, the bottom being sloped in such a way as to cause a tube placed in the trough to lie always near to the front. The tube to be examined was placed in the trough with some water, and then alcohol was added until the proper density was arrived at, and by this means it was quite possible to use a - -inch objective effectively. —Prof. Bell, at the request of the President, gave an account of what he regarded as the most extraordinary biological fact brought to light during the last twenty-five years-that-of a third eye at the top of the head of certain lizards.—Mr. Crisp called attention to a new lamp for the microscope which had been sent for exhibition by Mr. Curtis, and which was so cheap and simple that it seemed likely to become the lamp of the future. It was founded on the lamp originally devised by Mr. Nelson.—Mr. A. Brachet's communication suggesting the use of a hyperbolic lens for the field-lens of the eye-piece was read. Mr. Brachet claimed that thereby the diaphragms in the eye-piece and objective could be dispensed with, and the image much improved.—Dr. Crookshank read a paper on photo-micrography, which was illustrated by the exhibition of a large number of prints, negatives, &c. Mr. Glaisher, President of the Photographic Society, said he had examined Dr. Crookshank's exhibits, and thought they were certainly very beautiful productions. He had for many years taken a great interest in the subject of photography, and had looked to it with hopes which had been more nearly fulfilled than ever before by the specimens before them. He had heard the paper with great pleasure, and could only express his admiration of it, believing as he did that it held out great promise for the future.—Mr. F. Enock exhibited sketches of some of his slides, the various parts being numbered and named and accompanied by a short explanation. It is intended to issue sketches of all the mouth organs of British bees and other interesting insects.
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Societies and Academies . Nature 34, 235–236 (1886). https://doi.org/10.1038/034235a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/034235a0