Essays on the Microscope: Containing a Practical Description of the Most Improved Microscopes, a General History of Insects, etc., etc.Adams, George
Science
Essays on the Microscope: Containing a Practical Description of the Most Improved Microscopes, a General History of Insects, etc., etc.
Adams, George
Insects -- Early works to 1800; Microscopy -- Early works to 1800
It has been long a microscopical desideratum, to have an instrument by
which the image of transparent objects might be shewn on a screen, as by
the common solar microscope; and this not only because the sun is so
uncertain in this climate, and the use of the solar microscope requires
confinement in the finest part of the day, when time seldom hangs heavy
on the rational mind, but as it also affords an increase of pleasure, by
displaying its wonders to several persons at the same instant, without
the least fatigue to the eye.
This purpose is now effectually answered, by affixing the transparent
stage, Fig. 4, of the lucernal to a lanthorn containing one of Argand’s
lamps. The lamp is placed within the lanthorn, and the end 9, 10 of the
transparent stage is screwed into a female screw, which is rivetted in
the sliding part of the front of the lanthorn; the magnifying lenses are
to be screwed into the hole represented at 12; they are adjusted by
turning the milled nut. The quantity of light is to be regulated, by
raising and lowering the sliding plate, or the lamp. N. B. This part,
with its lanthorn and lamp, may be had separate from the lucernal
microscope.[30]
[30] This effect by the lanthorn and lamp is subject to much
limitation in the field of view, or circle of light thrown upon the
screen. A circle of not more than from 12 to about 15 inches can ever
be obtained with any tolerable strength of light, to shew the most
transparent sort of objects that can be found, such as the scale of a
sole fish, a fly’s wing, &c. The great difference between the light of
the sun and a lamp is a natural obstacle to great performances in this
way, and renders them far short of the effects of the solar
microscope. The exhibition, however, is considerable, and much
deserving of the notice of any observer disposed to this sort of
apparatus. Probably, subsequent experiments may yet produce more light
on this instrument. The best sort of apparatus for this purpose
hitherto made, I shall describe in a following section. EDIT.
APPARATUS WHICH USUALLY ACCOMPANIES THE IMPROVED LUCERNAL MICROSCOPE.
The stage, Fig. 1, f g h i, for opake objects, with its glass semiglobe,
and concave mirror, which is moveable upon the bar Q R S T, and set
readily to any distance by the screw at a. The glasses o and n are also
moveable upon the bar for regulating and adjusting the light upon the
object.
The stage, Fig. 4, for transparent objects, which fits on the upper part
P S of the foregoing stage. When this is to be applied occasionally to a
lanthorn for shewing transparent objects on a screen, &c. it is made of
a much larger diameter, to admit of the illuminating lenses at 9, 10,
and 11, of greater power of condensing the rays from the lamp.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account