THe NortTHERN MuicRoscorist. 
No. 4. : APRIL. 1881. 
PHOTO-MICROGRAPHY. 
By Gerorce E. Davis, F.R.M.S.* 
HERE is no doubt that the art of photographing microscopic 
objects is usually considered a difficult one, and when we are 
confronted with the fact that nearly all those who have written 
anything upon the subject have generally advised the use of a host of 
complicated paraphernalia, it cannot be surprising that such an 
opinion has gained ground. 
The vast array of apparatus, condensers, blue cells, heliostats, even 
to the special room set apart for use as a large camera, must have 
been quite sufficient to cool the courage of any one with only their 
evenings at leisure, and to deter them from attempting to practise 
such a process. It is true we have several papers which have 
done something towards popularizing the art, such as that read 
before the Royal Microscopical Society on the 5th of November, 
1873, by Mr. Alfred Saunders, in which many hints were given, 
and which probably has been of much service to beginners; but 
even in this paper the author observes that “artificial light is a 
delusion,” ard proceeds to plead for the use of sunlight only. 
There is no doubt that the sun’s rays are better than artificial 
light for such powers as the one-eighth objective and upwards, but 
for any object-glass of lower amplification, the ordinary microscope 
lamp or a good argand gas-lamp does as well; nay, is preferable, 
on account of the ease with which it may be put in use at any 
time, for the direct rays of the sun are not always obtainable. 
A paper was read on November roth, 1875, before the members 
of the Medical Microscopical Society, by Mr. G. M. Giles, in which 
the construction of a simple apparatus was briefly described, and 
in Science Gossip for 1876, there appeared an interesting paper 
from the pen of Mr. T. H. Powell, who advocated the use of a 
paraffin lamp. The whole communication teemed with hints 
* A paper read before the Birmingham Microscopical Society, Jan. 18th, 1881, 
and also before the Manchester Microscopical Society, March 3rd, 1881. 
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