Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-02-18
THE MICROSCOPE.

THE MICROSCOPE.
Have the Limits of its Power Been
Reached
The question as to the limit Of capa-
blllty of the microscope is investigated
by Professor Able, of Jena, in recent
number of Max Scbultze's Archiv; and
he is led by series of physical deduc-
tions to the remarkable result, that
this limit is already as good as reached
by our best microscopes, and that all
hope of deeper penetration into the
material constitution Of things than
such microscopes now afford must be
dismissed. Experiment and theory
agree in showing how the changes
wrought by difraction of light pass
ing through fine structures, whose ele-
ments are SO small and near each other
as to call forth this phenomenon, are
such as to prevent the object being
imagined more .geOnaet1ico.
Thus it may happen. on the other
hand, that different structures give the
same microscopical image, and, on the
other, that like structures give differ
ent images. Consequently, while OBJ
jects of the kind (systems of fine lines
and the like may appear ever so dis
tinct and we'll marked in the micro
scope, we are not entitled to regard
such appearances as of morphological
significance, but merely as physical
phenomena, from which nothing fur
Their can certainly be inferred than the
presence of such structural conditions
as are capable of producing the diffrac-
tion effects obtained. E9 NNw 3
The remark has notable applications
10 many of the microscopical research
ses on markings of d1atoms, and on
striated muscular fibre. And it affects
not merely the morphological relations
of the objects, but the deductions.
made from microscop1cal observation,
as to properties (such as differences of
transparence, colors. polarization, sc. J
The author lays down the following
principle as basis for the determina-
tion of a limit: By no microscope can
parts be distinguished Cor the marks
Merkha0te-of a really present struc-
ture perceived) if they are so near to
each other that the first bundle of
light rays produced by diffraction can
no longer enter the objective simultan-
eously with the undiffracted cone of
light. -..-.--- .-----.-...---
Professor Able has also rec, ntly de-
scribed new Illuminating apparatus
for the microscope, formed of con-
densing system of two unachromatic
lenses, which are fixed in the stage of
the microscope, and transmit the rays
from the mirror below; the purpose
being that the object Gmmediately
above the. upper lens) may be illumi-
mated by Light from a great many diff
ferent directions. -Nature.
Singular, if True.
At last the spirit mediums are relin-
gushing the diverting but unprofta-
BILE tippings and rappings with which
they have SO long solely concerned
themselves, and are turning their supe-
rior knowledge to practical account
Mr.. Delong, our late representative IN
Japan, was recently induced to visit
the notorious Foster, in San Francisco,
and although he entered the presence
of the medium prepared to doubt and
scoff, he remained, if not to pray at
least to give thanks. For Mr.. Foster
had a message for Mr.. Belongs wife
from that Iady's dead father, informing
her that before his death he had en-
trusted to one Thomas Madden.
large sum for investment, which had
not been accounted forto his executors.
Mrs. Delong remembered that her
father had had business deal
ings with Mr.. Madden, and con-
sequently she, in company with her
husband. called on that gentleman and
asked him If there was not some unset
tied business between himself and the
. late Mr.. Whey ard. Mr.. Madden
promptly said there was that they
had purchased a tract of land together,
and that their interest was still undi-
vided and he furthermore explained
that he had made no return to the exc
cutors, because he supposed they were
content to let the property stand as an
investment. Mrs. belong thought.
however, that settlement had better
be effected at once, and the accommo-
dating Mr.. Madden thereupon gave
her a deed of parcel of real estate,
for which he offered an equivalent IN
cash of S18,0 900. Mr. belong asserts
that neither he nor his wife knew any
thing about Foster until friend in
vited him to visit the medium; that
Foster could have known nothing
about his family affairs, and that but
for the spirit revelation his wife would
be poorer by $4,000 than she is to-
day.
The Fisheries of the Caspian Sea.
The HaSpian Sea is eytremeIV rich in