THE AMERICAN 



MONTHLY 



MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL 



Vol. VI. Washington, D. C, November, 1885. 



No. 11. 



Photo-Micrography.— I. 



BY THE EDITOR. 



It is after considerable deliberation 

 that we have decided to prepare a 

 series of articles on this subject, the 

 first of which is published this month. 

 There are so many small and inex- 

 pensive but excellent manuals for 

 amateurs and beginners in photogra- 

 phy, that it has seemed in the past 

 quite unnecessary for us to devote so 

 much space to the subject as the pro- 

 posed scheme will require. How- 

 ever, when we consider the special 

 branch of photo-micrography as dis- 

 tinct from general photography, it 

 will be seen that the literature is not 

 so exhaustive or readily accessible as 

 may at first appear. 



It is customary to begin a series of 

 articles like this with a general notice 

 of the literature of the subject, but 

 this we cannot do. Perhaps a review 

 of what has been done in this con- 

 nection may be prepared for a future 

 article. Recent literature of the sub- 

 ject is well represented by Dr. G. M. 

 Sternberg's book. 'Photo-micro- 

 graphs and How to Make Them.' 

 which is a useful book of reference. 



We have been led t<j undertake the 

 preparation of these articles in re- 

 sponse to the expressed wish of some 

 of our subscribers, and it is jDroposed 

 to make them comprehend all the 

 operations from focussing in the 

 camera to finishing the silver print 

 on paper, including also certain :ip- 

 proved methods of treating negatives 

 to correct imperfections. They will, 

 therefore, afi'ord the reader a' com- 

 plete treatise, embracing all the opera- 

 tions an amateur, either in photo- 



micrography or field photography, is 

 likely to undertake. 



The subject will be treated in suc- 

 cessive articles under the following 

 divisions : — 



1 . General consideration of photo- 

 graphic methods. 



2. Apparatus f o r photo-micnv 

 graphy. 



a. Microscope and accessories. 



camera, etc. 

 /;. Plates, chemicals, developing 



ajjparatus, dark room, etc. 



3. Exposing the plate. 



4. Developing the negative. 



a. Ordinary process of devel- 

 opment. 



d. Correctingerrors of exposure 

 or development. 



5. Making transparencies. 



6. Making silver prints on paper. 



With so much by way of intro- 

 duction, we proceed to take up the 

 first division of the subject. 



I . General coNSiDERATiOiX ok 



PHOTOGRAPHIC METHODS. 



One of the first questions that will 

 present itself to the beginner in this 

 work is the kind of light to be used. 

 If he begins to look through the 

 photographic periodicals for informa- 

 tion on this subject, the result may 

 not be quite satisfactor}-. Very likely 

 he will find an article by Maurice N. 

 Miller, M.D.. evidently an operator 

 of experience, who thus expresses his 

 views on this subject : ' The minor 

 methods of lighting — by oil, gas, etc. 

 — do not deserve any consideration 

 at our hands at this time. We are 

 engaged in the attempt to produce 

 the very best results obtainable, and 

 I know verv well that no amateur is 



