The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (September 1890)

The Optical Magid Lantern Journal and Photographie Enlarger, 29 Lost Light, OFTTIMES, whenemploying artificial light for enlarging or for other photographic purposes, it is requisite to place ground or other glass in front of the light in order to obtain more even illumination, but due allowance must, of course, be made in the time of exposure, as a certain percentage of the light is lost in passing through certain mediums. Although in ordinary clear glass the loss may be !o per cent., the loss when ground glass is used will range from 25 to about 50 per cent , whilst opal glass will prevent about 60 per cent. from passing through. J.R. 20% Camera Club.—New_ Premises. WE have received copies of the elevation and plans of the new premises of the Camera Club. This cominodious building has a frontage of about Soft. on Charing Cross-road, and about the same on Cecil-court. A letter, which accompanied the plans, says :— “‘ The entrance to the club is near the left corner of the building. On passing the glass swing-doors, the porter's lodge will be found on the left, and beyond that a stone staircase leads to the floors above. To proceed first to the basement. On reaching the bottom of the single flight of stairs, we find a room containing the furnace, which will supply hot water to the whole of the house, and beyond that the servants’ lavatory and dressing-room. “The second floor on the right leads to the cellars. The passage from which these doors open will contain a number of lockers, where members can keep their photographic materials. To the left is the daylight work-room. This is lighted from the roof, and will contain a sink, extending along one side of the room, with a number of taps for cold and hot water. This rvom is intended for washing negatives, developing platinotypes, toning, and all other operations not requiring a dark room. Opposite this room is a long passage, giving access to nine dark rooms. “ On the first floor, on the left of the landing, is the cloak-room, whilst a door on the rizht leads to the still-room. Opposite the staircase is the entrance to the principal room, a handsome hall, 43ft. by 26ft., and igft. 6in. high. The manager of the optical lantern has obtained his heart's desire in having a space of the wall, oft. square, painted white, in place of a movable screen, for showing slides. “ Above the cloak-room a mezzanine has been ‘arranged, which provides further accommodation for hats and coats. “On the second floor a third cloak-room, with lavatories, is provided. The passage leads from the landing to the dining-room on the right, the billiardroom on the left, and to the library at the end. The height of this floor is r2ft. On the third floor the building becomes much shallower. A corridor similar to the one below leads on the right to the committee and secretary’s rooms, on the left to the leads above the billiard room and to the workshop or lathe room. “The fourth floor is entirely taken up by the kitchen and other offices, and a bedroom and a living room fur a resident servant. “On the filth floor is a good enlarging room, with a dark room attached, and a fine studio 27ft. long by : 16ft. wide, with a dark room. “A lift large enough for carrying coals and communicating with each floor from the basement to the kitchen will be provided, also speaking-tubes and electric bells. The house is to be wired for electric light, and a sufficient sum has been provided for the decorations, which will, however, not be added until next year.” Photomicrographic Lantern Transparencies for Histological Teaching and Research. THE varied illustrative methods now before the public for the purpose of education in one or other of its branches, have not any greater than the optical lantern. It appeals to all classes, from the youngest to the oldest, or the unlearned to the savant. Although for a long period it was but a scientific toy, chiefly used for the amusement of young people, yet it, with its many accessories, has for some time past emerged from this toyship and now ranks high in all branches of education as a method not by any means below the recognition of those who advance with the world’s progress. The optical lantern has not been, and is not now, entirely dependent upon the photographic art for its popularity, although it must be admitted that the art has very materially assisted in the popularity of the lantern. This advancement is to some extent attributable to the use of dry plates, both for negatives and for lantern transparencies. These transparencies, however, do not convey all that is desired of them. They lack colour. To colour such slides is usually a tedious and somewhat expensive adjunct if it is intended that the colouring shall, as near as possible, represent the subject pourtrayed. With regard to objects under the microscope, used for class purposes in medical schools, they are generally stained sections of physiological, anotomical, or pathological subjects. They are stained in the majority of cases with one, two, or three stains. Professor J. Alfred Scott, M.B., F.R.C.S., of Dublin, and vice-president of the Photographic Society of Ireland, has of late been experimenting for the purpose of making coloured micro-photographic lantern slides of subjects suitable fur medical class illustration, and having a very close resemblance to the objects as usually seen under the microscope afier they have been stained. The following is a prec’s of a paper read by him before the British Medical Association, held at Birmingham, on July 30, in which he carefully details the methods pursued to obtain the beautiful results which were exhibited to the members in illustration of his remarks. “ During the autumn of 1888, some lantern slides, published by the Woodbury Company, were shown to me. Among these were a few anatomical preparations which strongly suggested to me the propriety of using such a means of illustrating my lectures, as the ordinary form of diagram is not satisfactory for many reasons. As there were not any anatomical photographs of any real use in the market I had to devise a means of takingthem. I know that there are many photomicrographic cameras made by opticians, but most of these appeared unnecessarily complicated, and I thought that some modification of a small camera I devised in 1883 might be adopted. This small camera was