1893.] MICROSCOPICAL JOdKNAL. 15 



Microscopy at the World's Fair. 



I'.v iii:nry l. tolman, 



CHICAGO, ILL. 



Address before the Microscopicul Section of the CliicaL(o Acatiemv of 



Sciences. 



About eighteen months aj^o the Illinois State Microscopical 

 Society clecitled to make a repiesentaticjn at the coming Colnm- 

 bian Exposition, and ajjpointed a committee of thiee, consisting 

 of Dr. L, D. Mcintosh, Mr. C O. Boring, and myself, to solicit 

 exhibits. On the death of Dr. Mclntt)sh, Mr. \V. II. .Summers 

 was appointed in his place. The design of tiie society was to 

 take the requisite space at the World's Fair and then ask all the 

 microscope makers in Europe and the United States to make a 

 display of their productions, and also, if possible, to get exhibits 

 of moimted slides, &.C., from various workers in different depart- 

 ments of science. I spent last summer in Europe, and as chair- 

 man of this committee and also as member of a similar committee 

 appointed by the American Microscopical Society, I visited all 

 the leading European microscope makers, with one or two excep- 

 tions, and was very mucii pleased to see the interest they took in 

 the matter. Several said they would rather make an exhibit in 

 such a scientific displav than in the commercial department, and 

 it is probable that nearly all will be represented. In fact, it is safe 

 to sav that the exhibit of modern instruments and accessories will 

 be the most extensive that has ever been made at any World's Fair. 



In regard to a display of old instruments, unfortunately nothing 

 could be accomplished. There are only three large private col- 

 lections of microscopes in Europe. By far the largest and finest 

 not only in England but in the world is that of Mr. Frank Crisp, 

 a prominent and wealthy London solicitor. It contains over 2,000 

 microscopes, besides a very large number of substage attachments, 

 condensers, microspectroscopes, live cages, mechanical stages, 

 polariscopes, objectives, and other accessories, which give an 

 accurate history of the microscope and its development. An even- 

 ing spent with Mr. Crisp and his collection is one long to be re- 

 membered. Many of these instruments are very fragile and com- 

 plex, not a few are unique, and it would be impossible, without 

 great time and expense, to box and ship them anywhere. Some, 

 on account of their fragility and complexity, cotdd not be trans- 

 ported at all, and hence Mr. Crisp said he felt compelled to decline 

 even to attempt to send his collection to Chicago. The next largest 

 collection is that of Mr. Nachet," the well-known Paris microscope 

 maker, and it also contains some beautiful and rare instruments. 

 Among others, he has a unique specimen of the first known binocu- 

 lar telescope and an unexampled collection of simple microscopes 

 in gold or silver engraved cases. Dr. H. Van Ileurck, of Brus- 

 sels, one of the most able and enthusiastic microscopists living. 



