Some fubftances are, However, fo organized, that if their peculiar
form is altered, the parts we with to difcover are deftroyed;
fuch as nerves, tendons, mufcular fibres, pith o f wood, &c.
many o f thefe are bell to be examined while floating in fome convenient
tranfparent fluid. For inftance, very few o f the fibres o f
any o f the mufcles can be difcovered when they are viewed in
the open air; but i f placed in water or oil, great part o f their
wonderful fabric may be difcovered. I f the thread o f a ligament
is viewed in this manner, it will be feen to confift o f an indefinite
number o f fmooth round threads lying clofe together.
Objefts o f an elaftic nature fhould be pulled or ftretched out
while they are under the microfcope, that the texture and nature
o f thofe parts, whofe figure is altered by being thus pulled out,
may be more fully difcovered.
T o examine bones with the microfcope. Thefe fhould firft
be viewed as opake obje&s; afterwards, by procuring thin
lections, they fhould be looked at as if tranfparent. The fefiions
fhould be cut in all directions, and be well wafhed and cleaned ;
a degree o f maceration will be ufeful in fome cafes. Or the
bones may be put in a clear fire till they are red hot, and then
taken out; by this means the bony cells will appear more con-
fpicuous and vifible, being freed from extraneous matter.
T o examine the pores of the skin. Firft, cut or pare off
with a razor as thin a flice as poflible o f the upper fkin; then cut
a fecond from the fame place; apply the lafi to the microfcope.
T he scales of fish fhould be foaked in water for a few
days, and then be carefully rubbed, to clean them from the fkin
and dirt which may adhere to them.
T o procure the fcales of the eel, which are a great curiofity,
and the more fo as the eel w.as not known to have any till they
were difcovered by the microfcope. Take, a piece of the fkin
o f the eel that grows on the fide, and while it is moift fpread it
on a piece1 o f glafs, that it may dry very fmooth; when thus
dried, the furface will appear all over dimpled or pitted by the
fcales, which lie under a fort o f cuticle or thin fkin; this fkin
may be raifed with the fharp point o f a penkhife, together widi
the fcales which will then eafily flip out, and thus you may procure
as many as you pleafe.*
On the lizard, the guana, &c. are two fkins; one o f thefe is
very tranfparent, the other is thicker and more opake; by
feparating thefe we procure two beautiful objefts.
T he leaves of many trees, and fome plants, when diffeaed,
form a very pleafing objeft. T o diflea them, take a few of the
mod perfedt leaves you can find, and place them m a pan with
clean water; let them remain three weeks or a month without
changing the water; then take them up, and try if they feel very
foft, and appear almoft rotten ; if fo, they are fufficiently foaked.
You are then to lay them on a flat board, and holding them by
the ftalk, draw the edge of a knife over the upper fide of the
leaf which will take off moft of the fkm;■j> turn the leaf, and thdoe
* Martin’s Micrographia Nova, p. 29.