The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-05-29
MICROSCOPY.
The Use of the Microscope in Determinine
Disease.

Disease.
The reporter shook his head sorrow
fully. He couldn't see it. Look
again, said DR.. Henry Jameson. and
again the reporter glued his eye to the
microscope, but with little letter sue
cess than before. The eye.n said
the doctor, has to be educated to tbe
Instrument, and it requires long and
careful training 10 make that organ
trustworthy in matters miscroscopic. "
chow long, inquired the reporter.
"has the microscope been in favor in
Indianapolis among medical men as a
help in their practice"
About a dozen years" replied the
doctor. 1T is now chiefly used in de-
termining diseases affecting the kid
neys. The practitioner examines sedi-
ment IN the urine, and Ire can tell by
the m croscoFe, to a certainty, if he I'M
derstands how to use it, whether there
Is any structural or organic disease of
the kidneys. There are great many
diseases III which the kidneys NAV be
more or less involved There are oaher
diseases than Bright's. In many cases
examination by the microscrope will
exclude organic disease and show the
ailment to be sympathetic Asa SEQUEL
OF scarlatina, we have what is known
as acute nephritis an Inflammation If
the kidneys and the microscope will
determine this disease in its iDcipiencv
lie ore one could osit;velv determine #
by any o-her means, so that the careful
practitioner will be able to bep'n to
treat the disease in time to avert dan
gerous consequences. The MICROSCOPE
VIII not only enable the physician to de-
lermlne toe existence of disease, but
the extent and duration. and furnish
the prognosis. 1t may be profitahly
employed TO determine a variety OF skin
diseases that depend upon spores and
parasites. Scab:es is one of them:
tcnia favo5a, paras.ti tic growth on the
head, producing scaly eruption, is
anothe-. There are several more. In
diseases of the luDr, ta5ercular trollle
and incipient plthsis, an examination
OF the sputa frequently shows broken
Gown Iuhg TISSUE even before the patient
suspects he is out of health.
There is a large list of mai gnant
growths, the character of which can
best be definitely ascertainei by the
microscope. Among these are car
cinoma (cancar) and epithe!ioma
(ep'tkeiial cancCr) The instrument
has frequently been called upon in this
country in a legal way to investigate
blood-Spots, and determine whether
they ar OF human or animal origin;
also, in poi5oHs, to examine their
crystals. 1t IS, also. Frequently u ed to
examine the condition of the blood as to
the proportion OF red anil white cor
pusc'eS, and 10 discover the degree Of
dsintegration.
Microscopy is evidently Just on the
eve of great discover. A broad field
is opening up in the study of the various
kinds of 'baccilli' which are present in,
II not causative OF, certain diSeases,
there being the cholera blccilll7, the
yellow fever b2cc HIS, etc. The prob
abilities are tat the day is near at
hand that we will not only be enabled
to discover the bacillus in numerous
diseases, but, having discovered it, to
ei1ee5ually destroy it. The ftllacies at
teGd'ng the u of the mcroscop, are
the sane as those attend ne any ki-4 OF
C. eIaicil or miauta Investigation.
4 ii-t- ttLS W Dc ldhIu mo dCcDtt1J the
in2ccuraey and lack Of education OF the
Observers eye and inc liciency aud
optical def cts in ths instrument. A
person without thoroughly educ lted
eye may for Instance, mistake a bit of
fbrons material which may have been
il the collecting ves5,l ], Tor Il tube cast.
This source Of error can ONLY be elm
mated by a thorough education of the
eye, rendering it 50 familiar with the
different Path logical dement's ald
structures rs to make it impossible,
hamanelS speaking. TO err. Anot .er
thing. Il doesn't re i;i,re expensive az
paratus to pursue these invesd@at cas-.
As good work ma he done BY true
m;cr ScopiSt with an Instrument viii h,
with It's furnishings, co t. $3.50, as wa
one in less expert hands that cost
IS, Indianapolis Journal.