The Preparation & Mounting of Microscopic Objects - microscopist Thomas Davies

“By using a bat’s-wing gas-burner of a good size, a single lens, instead of the two, may be so placed as to give the necessary uniformity of illumination.”

This arrangement requires the same care in working as that before mentioned, the pictures being produced, developed, and fixed by the same treatment.

As before stated, almost every manipulator makes some small changes in the method of producing these minute pictures; but the rules given, though far from new, are sufficient for all purposes; and I may state with truth, that those which I procured when these wonders were quite new, are fully equal in every respect to the best usually met with at the present time.

With these instructions I shall close my Handbook, as I believe that every branch of Preparation and Mounting of Microscopic Objects has been treated of. Not that the beginner can expect that he has nothing to do except read this to be able to mount everything; but there are difficulties from which he may be freed by instruction, when otherwise he would have been compelled to learn by failure alone. I may, here, however, repeat certain advice before given,—that, when practicable, it is a good thing to mount each object by two or more different methods, as very frequently one feature is best shown dry, another in liquid, and a third in balsam. Secondly, let the mounting be studied thoroughly, as no part of the microscopic science is more worthy of thought than this. And lastly, let no failures prevent you following up what will assuredly one day become a source of great pleasure, and render your daily “constitutional walk,” which is often dull in the extreme, very delightful, as it will afford you some new wonder in every hedge-row.

INDEX.

Air-bubbles, [56].
Air-pump, [13];
use of, [57].
Alcock, Dr., on tongues of Mollusca, [118].
Algæ, mounting of, [91].
Anacharis alsinastrum, rotation in, [143];
to cultivate, [144].
Animal tissues, dissection of, [114].
Antennæ of insects, [71];
in preservative liquid, [94].
Apparatus required in mounting objects, [i.]
Arteries, how to distinguish, in injection, [131].
Asparagus, spiral vessels of, [114].
Asphaltum, [15];
and india-rubber, as cement and varnish, [18].
Bat, circulation of blood in wings of, [142].
Beale’s, Dr., Prussian blue for injecting, [134];
carmine, [135].
Bell-glasses, use of, [12].
Berg-mehl, [40].
Bermuda earth, [40].
Bichromate of lead, injection with, [132].
Bird, Dr. Golding, on preparation of Zoophytes, [65].
Black-japan, as a cement, [16].
Black varnish, [18].
Blood, as a microscopic object, [50];
circulation of, [140–142].
Bone, sections of, [102];
fossil, [103].
Brass plate for heating glasses, &c., [13].
Cactaceæ, raphides of, [52].
Camel-hair pencils, use of, [10].
Canada balsam, [14];
with chloroform, [14], [60], [132];
with turpentine, [14];
air bubbles in, [56];
Dr. Carpenter’s syringe for, [59];
to fill cells with, [60];
mounting of objects in, [56].
Carbolic acid, [86].
Carmine injecting fluid, Dr. Beale’s, 135:
Dale & Davies’, [138].
Cartilage, dissection of, [114].
Castor oil, as a preservative, [86].
Cells for dry objects, [6];
with rings of cardboard, [7];
with gutta-percha, [7];
with leather, [7];
with ivory, [8];
with thin glass, [7];
with varnish, [23], [26];
for balsam, [60];
for preservative liquids, [87–89];
Shadbolt’s turntable useful in making, [9].
Cements, [13–17].
Chalk, foraminifera from, [63].
Chara vulgaris, rotation in, [144].
Chloride of zinc, solution of, [85];
of calcium, solution of, [92].
Chloroform, use of (see [Canada balsam]).
Circulation of blood, [140–142];
of sap (see [Rotation]).
Cleanliness in microscopic work, [1].
Coal, sections of, [99].
Collection of diatoms, [29].
Colours for injection, [125–127].
Condenser, cheap, to make, [20].
Corals, sections of, [99].
Corallines, to mount, [48].
Cover of objects, to remove, [60].
Crystals, mounting of, dry, [50];
to vary form of, and mount in balsam, [75];
sections of, [109].
Cuticle of equisetum, &c., [80].
Dale & Davies’, carmine injection, [138].
Deane’s gelatine, [84].
Decalcifying process for shells, [98].
Desmidiaceæ, in preservative liquid, [92].
Diachæa elegans, [53].
Diamond beetle, [54].
Diatomaceæ, nature of, [28];
collection of, [29];
in stomachs of fish, [30];
to prepare and mount dry, [30–40];
Mr. Rylands on, [33];
in guano, [39];
fossilized, [40];
mounting in balsam, [61];
mounting in preservative liquids, [92], [93].
Discs used in mounting, [22];
supporter, Smith & Beck’s, [23].
Dissection, [111];
microscope for, [111];
instruments for, [112].
Distilled water, as preservative liquid, [83].
Doyer’s, M., method of injection, [132].
Dry objects, to mount, [22].
Echinodermata spines, sections of, [99].
Eel, scales of, [78].
Eggs of insects, [94].
Elastic objects, to keep flat upon the slide, [11].
Electrical cement, [16].
Equisetaceæ, [80];
spores of, [146].
Erector, not indispensable, [19].
Eyes of insects, [70], [54];
of animals injected, [136].
Feathers, [73].
Feet of insects, [54], [71].
Ferns, [51];
development of spores of, [145].
Fish, fins and tails of, [50];
scales of, [53], [78];
injection of, [137];
circulation of blood in, [142].
Flint, sections of, [101].
Fluid, mounting objects in, [83].
Flustra avicularis, [79].
Fly (see [Insects]).
Foot of sheep injected, [136].
Foraminifera, [41];
separation of, [41];
to clean, [42];
to clean from tallow soundings, [42];
to mount, [45], [63];
from chalk, [63].
Forceps, ordinary and wooden, [11];
bull-nosed, for injection, [123].
Fossil infusoria, [40].
Frog, injected, [136];
to show circulation of blood, [140].
Frog-bit, rotation in, [144].
Fruit-stones, sections of, [104].
Fungi, [53], [94].
Gastric teeth of insects, [120];
of molluscs, [117].
Gelatine for injection, [124];
preservative liquid, [84].
Glass slides, [1];
thin, [3];
thin, to cut, [3];
thin, to measure, [4];
thin, to clean, [5];
cells, to make, [88];
rings for cells, [88];
tubes, [10].
Glycerine, [84], [94];
jelly, [84], [91].
Goadby’s fluid, [85].
Gold-size, [15].
Grasses, [80].
Grasshopper, gizzard of, [120].
Guano, containing Diatomaceæ, [39].
Gum-water, and modifications of, [17].
Gutta-percha cells, [7];
for liquids, [87].
Hairs, vegetable, [46];
to mount dry, [54];
to mount as polarizing objects, [79];
sections of, [105].
Hepworth, Mr., on mounting insects, [68].
Horn, sections of, [104].
Hot-water bath, use of, [58].
Infusoria, in preservative liquid, [92];
fossil, [40].
Injections, [vi.], [122];
apparatus for, [122];
colours for, [125];
directions for, [127];
with various colours, [131];
mounting of, [131];
transparent, [133], [138].
Insects, scales of, [48];
to mount, [49];
legs and feet of, [54], [72];
eyes of, [54], [70];
Mr. Hepworth on mounting, [68];
antennæ of, [71];
mouth of, [72];
tracheæ and spiracles of, [72], [115];
parasitic, [73];
in preservative liquid, [94];
eggs of, [94];
gizzard of, [120];
circulation of blood in, [142].
Intestines, injected, [136].
Knives for dissecting, [112];
Valentin’s, [108].
Labelling of objects, [19].
Lamps, for mounting, [12].
Larvæ, skins of, [50].
Leaves, sections of, [107];
scales of, [46], [81].
Liquid-glue, [16].
Lungs of animals injected, [137].
Mallow, pollen of, [47].
Marine glue, [15], [88].
Microscope for dissection, [111].
Miscellaneous, [vii.], [140].
Mites, [73].
Molluscs, tongues of, [116].
Mosses, [51];
in preservative fluids, [91].
Mould (see [Fungi]).
Mounting objects, apparatus for, [i.];
dry, [ii.], [22];
in Canada balsam, [iii.], [56];
in cells, [iv.], [83].
Mouse, ear of, [114];
circulation of blood in, [142].
Mouth of insects, [72].
Muscle, dissection of, [114].
Needles, how to mount, [10];
for dissection, [112];
curved, for injection, [123].
Nervous tissue, dissection of, [115].
Nettle leaf, [52].
Newts, injected, [136].
Onion, raphides of, [52].
Orbitolite, section of, [97].
Oxalurate of ammonia, crystals of, [75].
Palates of Molluscs (see [tongues]).
Papers, ornamental, to cover slides, [8], [27].
Photographs, microscopic, to produce, [147];
Mr. Shadbolt on, [149].
Pipes for injecting syringe, [122].
Podura, scales of, [49].
Polariscope, objects for, [74–82], [104].
Pollen, [47], [74].
Polycystina, preparation and mounting of, [63].
Preservative liquids, [iv.], [83];
cells suited for, [87–89].
Prussian blue for injection, [134].
Raphides, vegetable, [52], [80].
Rhinoceros, horn of, [104].
Rhubarb, spiral vessels of, [113].
Rings and cross of crystals, [109].
Rotation of fluid in cells of plants, [143–145].
Rush, section of, [108].
Rylands, Mr. T. G., on Diatomaceæ, [33], [93].
Salicine, crystals of, [76].
Saw of watch-spring, [97].
Scales of fishes, [53], [78];
of leaves, [46], [81];
of insects, [48].
Scissors, [10];
for dissection, [112].
Sea-mats, [53].
Sea-soundings, to cleanse, [42].
Sealing-wax varnish, [17].
Sections, [96];
of shells, [97];
of orbitolite, [97];
of spines of Echinodermata, [99];
of corals, [99];
of coal, [99];
of flint, [101];
of teeth, [101];
of bone, [102];
of fruit-stones, [104];
of horn, [104];
of whalebone, [105];
of hairs, [105];
of wood, [106];
of leaves, [107];
of sponges, [108];
of skin, [109];
of crystals, [109];
of seeds, [111].
Seeds, [47], [74];
sections of, [111];
growth of, [145].
Shadbolt’s turntable, [9].
Shells, sections of, [97];
decalcifying, [98];
laminæ of, [98].
Siliceous cuticles, [80].
Size for injection, [124].
Skins of larvæ, [50];
sections of, [109];
sole, [54].
Slides, glass, for mounting objects, [1];
glass, to clean, [2];
wood, &c., [6];
most useful, [8];
to cover and varnish, [27].
Spicula, from sponges, &c., [67].
Spines of Echinus, [99].
Spiracles of insects, [72], [116].
Spiral vessels of vegetables, [113].
Split bristles, use of, [10].
Sponges, sections of, [108].
Spores of ferns, development of, [145];
equisetum, [146].
Starch, preparation and mounting of, [79].
Sulphate of copper and magnesia, crystals of, [76].
Syringe for Canada balsam, [59];
for dissection, [113];
for injection, [122].
Tadpole, to show circulation of blood of, [141].
Teeth, sections of, [101].
Thin glass, to cut, [3];
to measure thickness of, [4];
to clean, [5].
Thwaites’ preservative liquid, [85].
Ticks, [73].
Tissues, animal and vegetable (see [Dissection]).
Tongues or palates of Molluscs, [116].
Tracheæ of insects, [72], [115].
Transfer of objects, [10].
Trough for dissection, [113].
Tubes, glass, [10].
Turnbull’s, Dr., Prussian blue for injection, [134].
Turpentine, use of, [57].
Universal stand, to make, [20].
Valentin’s knife, [108].
Vallisneria spiralis, rotation in, [143];
to cultivate, [144].
Varnishes, [17].
Vegetable objects, to mount dry, [46];
to mount in jelly, [91];
dissection of, [113].
Watch-glasses, [12].
Whalebone, sections of, [105].
Wood, sections of, [106].
Zoophytes, to mount dry, [53];
Dr. Golding Bird on mounting, in balsam, [65];
as polarizing objects, [79].

COX AND WYMAN, PRINTERS, GREAT QUEEN STREET, LONDON.

Transcriber’s Notes

Punctuation and spelling were made consistent when a predominant preference was found in the original book; otherwise they were not changed.