We put the world before you by means of the Bioscope and Urban films (Nov 1903)

93 "Exeter Western Times," August 20th, 1903. It is interesting to find that Science has taken hold of the Music Hall, though Science, it is, in a most attractive form. The Bioscope pictures have heen received with the greatest favour, and little wonder for it. They are marvellous. One sees, for instance, a colony at work in a piece of cheese, though whether this will improve the cheese trade is quite another question. These pictures are magnified up to 30,000,000 degrees, so that there is nothing to complain of on the score of realism. A series representing the hlood criculation of a plant is marvellously fascinating. The bee also comes in for study, as well as animal hlood circulation. This represents extraordinary patience and observation. We ate all, of course, acquainted with the beautiful pictures of the Rev. Dr. Dallinger, but those shown at the Alhambra are simply marvellous. It only shows how interesting Science can be made to masses, if properly applied. "Daily Express," August 3 lsi, 1903. Microbic Monsters. " Well, this is the last time that I ever eat cheese ! " said the man in the stalls. " If you want to be logical," said his friend, " it would be the last time that you ever drank water." " I don't." There was some excuse for these two members of the Alhambra audience. Upon the screen were studies by the Urban-Duncan Micro-Bioscope portraying the antics of monsters in a speck of cheese, and a telescopic octopus — enlarged from a sixteenth of an inch to about three feet — swimming in a drop of water. A visit to Mr. Urban, the joint inventor of this mixture of science and musichall interest, provided some fresh facts. He exhibited, for instance, a particle of water in which the infi sorian, a bloated bottle-shaped beast, was enjoying a meal of typhoid bacteria. Also you might see the death of an infusorian and the attack the bacteria make on its body, breaking it to pieces. It was a most remarkable spectacle. ** This is the first time," said Mr. Urban," that germs have been photographed alive. The usual method is to spread the germs upon a glass slide, pass them through a flame, stain them, and then photograph them. " The result is merely a series of black corkscrews, billiard balls, and cigars But our bacteria are alive and in full working order. '• The chief difficulty in our discovery was the light. It was necessary to turn a ray of 2,000 candle power on the speck that was being at once magnified and photographed without burning it up by heat. This we have at last managed successfully. " I have made arrangements with the Zoological Gardens, Kew, and the Brighton Aquarium for the Bioscoping of further subjects. The possibilities of the invention are immense. In my belief there will hardly be a school without a Micro-Bioscope in charge of its science master." Nature," August 27th, 1903. A correspondent directs our attention to the fact that one feature of the programme at present in force at the Alhambra is an exhibition of the Microbioscope. We are glad, like our correspondent that science is being introduced — even in the form of amusement — to those, who in ordinary circumstances, take no interest in scientific matters and think with him that more might be done even with existing resources to bring a knowledge of the advances of science under the notice of the people. " The music halls are," says our correspondent, " being increasingly used for good music ; why not for good science '.' The managers will put money into it if the public respond, and no objection will be made to raising the tone of their programme if the houses fill. Those interested in science need not spend the evening there; they could go to see just what concerned them." To-Day," August 26th, 1903. The Alhambra management has turned the Bioscope to a most novel use. A series of lively insects and animalcule are thrown on the screen, among them figuring the industrious mite engaged upon a ripe Stilton cheese. II only this energetic little creature could be transferred to a neighbouring house of entertainment, it would serve as an opportune reminder of the Mite of the Empire ! Captain Kidd.