The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-18
TALKS WITH DOCTORS.
The Use of the Microscope in Determining
DiseaSe-HoW to Use 1t Effectively.

The reporter shook his head sorrowfully He
couldn't see it. "Look again. said DR.. Henry
Jameson, and again the reporter glued his eye to
the microscope but with little better success
than before. THE eyen said the Doctor "has
to be educated to the instrument and it re-
quires long and careful training to make that
organ trustworthy in matters microscopic"
How long inquired the reporter, 'has the
microscope been in favor in Indianapolis among
medical men as help in their practice.
about dozen years." replied the Doctor.
Among the first to use it understandingly
were Drs. w. B. Fletcher and W. W. Butterfeld.
and DR.. p. G. G. Hunt, the dentist. 1t is now
chiefly used in determining diseases affecting the
kidneys. The practitioner examines sediment
in the urine, and he can tell by the microscope,
TO a certainty, if he understands how to use it,
whether there is any structural or organic dis
ease of the kidneys. There are a great many
diseases in which the kidneys may be more or less
involved. There are other diseases than Brights.
In many cases examination by the microscope
will exclude organic disease and show the all
ment to be sympathetic. AS sequel of scar
latina, we have what is known as acute
nephritis-an inflammation of the kidneys
and the microscope will determine this disease
in its incipiency before one could positively deter
mine it by any other means so that the careful
practitioner will be able to begin to treat the dis
ease in time to avert dangerous consequences.
The microscope will not only enable the phvsi-
clan to determine the existence of disease, but
the extent and duration and furnish the proguoss.
1t may be proftably employed to determine
variety of skin diseases that depend upon spores
and parasites. Scabies is one of them; tenia
favosa, a parasitic growth on the head. producing
a scaly eruption, is another There are several
more. In diseases OF the lung, tubercular trouble
and incipient phthisis an examination of the
sputa frequently shows broken-down lung it's
sue even before the patient suspects he is out Of
health.
There is a large list of maglignant growths,
the character of which can best be definitely ascer
tanned by the microscope. Among these are car
cinoma (cancer) and epithelioma (epithelial
cancer The instrument has frequently
been called upon in this county
in legal way. to investigate blood-spots, and
determine whether they are of human or animal
origin; also in poisons, to examine their crystals
1t is, also frequently used to examine the condi
ton of the blood as to the proportion of red and
white corpuscles, and to discover the degree of
disintegration.
MICROSCOPY Is eVtlenIly just on the eve Oh u
great discovery. A broad field is opening up in
the study of the various kinds of baccilli which
are present in, if not causative of, certain
diseases, there being the cholera bacillus, the
yellow fever bacillus, etc. The probabilities are
that the day is near at hand that we win not
only be enabled to discover the bacillus in
numerous diseases. but, having discovered it, to
effectually destroy it. The fallacies attending
the use of the microscope are the same as those
attending any kind of chemical or minute inves-
tigation. There are to be taken into account the
inaccuracy and lack of education OF the OBJ
servers eye and inefficiency and optical defects
ia the instrument. A person without a thoroughly
educated eye may. for instance, mistake bit OF
fibrous material which may have been in the col
lecting vessel for tube cast This source of error
can only be eliminated by thorough education
of the eye, rendering IL so familiar with the diff
ferent pathological elements and structures as
to make it impossible, humanity speaking, to err.
Another thing. 1t doesn't require expensive ap-
paratus to pursue these Investigations. AS good
work may be done by 81 true microscopic with
an instrument which. with its furnishings, costs
$3.50. as with one in less expert hands that cost
So 000"
How many physicians here have r4icro-
scopes}"
u can't say; twenty, perhaps"
s'What has become of the indianapolis Mi
croscopical Society," inquired the reporter.
'Died of inanition," was the reply.