Microscopical Section

Scope and Content

The Microscopical Section was established in February 1879, and appears to have been the creation of Julius Dreschfeld and Daniel Leech [uncle of Ernest Bosdin Leech]. Members on foundation included Henry Ashby, Thomas Jones [?] and James Ross. Members of the Section paid an additional five shilling subscription. A few years later, membership was opened to non-members of the Society, and pathological as well as microscopical sections were displayed at meetings.

Meetings of the Section discussed morbid and normal specimens, illustrated by microscopical sections. The formation of the Section reflected a desire to have a more specialist forum to discuss pathological matters. Disagreements appear to have broken out about non-MMS people being involved in the Section. The Section was discontinued in 1885. The following year, the Pathological Society of Manchester was set up, which did similar work to the Section, and from 1890, used the MMS's reading room for meetings.

Related Material

See also MMS/1/8/8 for correspondence relating to the demise of the Section.