42 



KNOWLEDGE. 



February. 1911. 



laid beneath the camera, and 

 illuminated either by transmitted 



(2) To get photographs of 

 minute objects through the 

 microscope, he probabh" has tht- 

 usual horizontal photomicro- 

 graphic camera, and nothing 

 can be better for mounted 

 objects : but the biologist, as 

 distinct from the photographer, 

 wants to preserve the record ot 

 objects as they appear when 

 fresh, and not formalined or 

 dehydrated and beautifulK 

 " squasjied " on neat slides. 



So here also he wants a 

 vertical apparatus to take such 

 objects as cannot be pinned up. 



(3) To complete his wcirk lie 

 probably also has an enlarger, 

 and an arrangement for making 

 lantern slides. 



Now, with a full know ledge of 

 practically all that is offered by 

 both English and Continental 

 makers. I am \-et of opinion that 

 there is no handv apparatus that 

 will do all this, and that the 

 various equipments now on the 

 market, although vastly iiu- 

 proved within the past five 

 years, are still unsatisfactory. 

 Most of them are too small 

 and incomplete, being without 

 stability, adaptability, and 

 rigidit\", and without optical 

 bench, which means sans every- 

 thing that is essential. 



\\'riting some time ago to 

 the maker of a new photomicro- 

 graphic camera. I pointed out 

 that this camera failed to meet 

 mv needs and gave details of 

 objects I wanted to photograph. 

 He replied : " We prefer to use 

 separate apparatus for such 

 work." 



E.xactly ! So have I in days 

 past; and the result has been: 

 two ordinary cameras, two 

 photomicrographic cameras, a 

 bulk\- enlarging and reducing 

 camera, and a host of fakes and 

 fitments in the shape of easels, 

 backgrounds, glass platforms, 

 and so on — a lot of dusty, 

 unready apparatus that lumbers 

 one's working space and would 

 require one's whole time to keep 

 in order. 



How often after a clean up 

 have I said: " I wish the\- could 



}et be properly 

 or incident light. 



all be rolled into one " and one day— happ)' thought ! 



— I said. " I w ill roll them all into one," and almost 

 literally did so. 



The result is a camera, 

 suited for practically every need 

 of the biologist, more easy of 

 manipulation, and withal a lot 



cheaper than anything I can 



find 



Figure J. 

 Camera raised to "vertical position on hinges. 



Il is secured by two T bolts with B.tusch and Eumb " V " 

 dissecting microscope, Nelson condenser and jet. 



With sliding glass platform on 

 optical bench support with l.irge sheet of ground glass, 

 prevents reflections from the water.- 



elsewhere. 



Being composed mostly of 

 parts of other apparatus, as I am 

 no tradesman, it may appear a 

 bulky collection of odds and 

 ends, but it is at least as compact 

 as anv other one photomicro- 

 grai)hic camera, and more useful 

 than an\- other two, covering 

 with great ease an enormous 

 range of work. 



The idea, however roughly 

 carried out. is sound, for both 

 English and Continental makers 

 have been groping their way to 

 this type for some years. 



Unquestionably this type is 

 the apparatus of the future in 

 all but the largest laboratories, 

 where space and expense do not 

 retiuire consideration. 



In Eigure 1, it is shown as 

 the usual horizontal photo- 

 micrographic camera, having 

 four feet of bellows extension, 

 capable of the highest power 

 wiirk. 



Without the microscope, but 

 with a sliding easel in the 

 wooden runners (an improvised 

 iiptical bench), it makes a 

 splendid 15X12 copying caiuera. 



In Figure 4. it is shown as a 

 vertical photomicrographic 

 camera. .\n ordinary dissecting 

 microscope stand, with a wide 

 tube fitted to the arm, will be 

 found to make an excellent 

 substitute for the costly big 

 microscope, especialh' w hen large 

 wet objects are being dealt 

 with. .\ Dunning's live cell is 

 a very useful adjunct for such 

 work, and a mess of water 

 round the stage w ill do the stand 

 no harm. 



Figure 3, shows the camera 

 as a purely vertical camera, 

 plus a sliding glass platform 

 on the same upright as the 

 camera, upon which even such 

 contrary things as eggs may be 

 laid, a morsel of " Plasticine " on 

 the underside preventing rolling. 



