Abstract
An optical system is described which can, for a number of applications, be used in place of the quartz rod method of trans-illuminating organs in an anaesthetized, intact animal for microscopical examination, and photography. It transmits approximately ten times more light than a quartz rod under the same conditions, and gives a conical illuminating beam, allowing considerably higher resolution. These factors permit photography of the organ in greater detail than is possible with the quartz rod technique. A specially designed microscope stage is used.
The micro-camera embodies a reflecting single leaf electric shutter and is used in conjunction with a mercury-argon flash tube. The tube has a 3 mm. diameter light source rich in the yellow and green wavelengths, and gives an 8 joule flash of 10 micro-seconds duration. This freezes the motion of the circulating blood cells. This equipment is fully described in a previous paper.
Notes
* This work has been carried out for the Medical Research Council Toxicology Research Unit, Carshalton, in conjunction with Dr. K. K. Cheng.