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Photography and Photomicrography in 19Th Century Madras

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Photography and Photomicrography in 19Th Century Madras HISTORICAL NOTES Photography and photomicrography in 19th century Madras Anantanarayanan Raman The science of light microscopy, which fected the technique of photographing light the earliest photomicrographic at- works using light from either the sun or small objects mounted on the platform of tempt made in India by Jesse Mitchell in an artificial source (e.g. incandescent a light microscope in 1839. In 1840, for Madras in the 1850s. light, mercury lamp), has today expanded the first time he displayed the photo- substantially involving a range of versatile micrograph of a flea in Liverpool2. Linnaeus Tripe and Frederick Fiebig – tools and techniques, such as phase Dancer’s efforts were based on calotype- master photographers contrast, polarized light, fluorescence, (also known as the ‘talbototype’) and interference contrast, dark field, confocal, daguerreotype-imprinting techniques. The Although the purpose of this note is to deconvolution and fluorescent-semicon- calotype and daguerreotype techniques recall Mitchell’s photomicrographic effort ductor nanocrystals (quantum dots). Pho- were developed independently: the for- in Madras, I consider a brief reference to tomicrography that runs with light mer by William Henry Fox Talbot contributions of Linnæus Tripe and Fre- microscopy too has diversified exten- (1800–1877) in London, and the latter by derick Fiebig, who made striking land- sively and grown impressionably. In Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre (1787– scape- and macrophotographs in India in spite of the meteoric growth in sophisti- 1851) in Île de France. Both Talbot and the 1850s would provide a context. The cation in instruments used in modern sci- Daguerre independently trialled salts of web page of the Photographic Society of ence, which can measure quantities of Ag (serendipity?). To fix images perma- Madras5, established by Alexander materials and compounds precisely, nently Talbot used AgNO3 in combina- Hunter in 1857, refers to a few other key medical pathology is one specialty that tion with gallic acid, whereas Daguerre names in macrophotography in colonial relies greatly on microscopic observa- used AgI and NaCl solution. Daguerre’s Madras. tions to reach diagnoses. Especially in technique of using AgI was based on a Linnaeus Tripe (1822–1902), a captain the context of cancer, preparation of refined technique developed by Joseph in Madras Native Infantry (Madras quality photographs of smears and sec- Nicéphore Niépce, his work partner, who Army), is to be mentioned first. Tripe tioned tissues is vital. Treatment strate- used AgNO3 usually and AgCl occasion- was appointed the first official photogra- gies rely on the pathologist’s comments ally. pher of the Government of Madras in on the aetiology of the disease. A pho- Talbot attempted making photomicro- 1856, after a short stint in Burma6. tomicrograph is a highly valuable techni- graphs at magnifications less than 20×. Tripe’s task was to photographically cal document in science and industry. A In the book Die Fotographie als document historic structures of Madras quality photomicrograph is also an object Hilfsmittel Mikroskopischer Forschung Presidency, enabling the government to of beauty that evokes an appreciative (Verlag von Wilhelm Engelmann, Leip- launch conservation efforts. His panora- excitement in the viewer. Whereas zig, Germany, 1863), Joseph von Gerlach mic photos of the Great Temple of Ŧan- macrophotography evolved much earlier, refers to one Christian Joseph Berres javur (Figure 1 a) and wall inscriptions photography of microscopic objects (1796–1844), professor of anatomy in therein are archived at the Canadian Cen- (then referred to as ‘microphotography’, Vienna, as the pioneer photomicrogra- tre for Architecture (CCA) (Montréal, which literally means ‘production of pher, who used a vertical-solar micro- Quebéc, Canada). CCA’s acquisitions of minute photographs’) developed in the scope designed by von Gerlach in 1839. these images are from the personal col- 1830s. Thomas Wedgwood (Stafford- Berres seems to have fixed the micro- lections of James Bruce – the eighth shire, England, 1771–1805) in his article graphs using daguerreotype technique. Lord Elgin – who received them in 1860, ‘An account of a method of copying Berres wrote Anatomie der mik- while being the Viceroy of India, a posi- paintings upon glass, and of making pro- roskopischen Gebilde des menschlichen tion Lord Elgin held after being the Gov- files, by the agency of light upon nitrate Körpers (Anatomia microscopica cor- ernor General of Canada (1846–1854). of silver’ published in the Journal of the poris humani: Latin) published by Carl Tripe made calotype photographs (con- Royal Institution (1802–?) predicted the Gerold, Vienna in 1837. I could not see tact prints, 15 × 12″ size, used AgI to possibility of making photomicrographs1: the original text, but references to this print images), and also stereoscopic pho- book in classic-book catalogues indicate tographs using a stereo-binocular cam- ‘…, I have found that the image of that this is a finely illustrated medical era. Given that photography was in its small objects, produced by means of volume. Berres photographed ‘cells’. infancy then, the stand taken by the Gov- the solar microscope, may be copied Nonetheless, still being influenced by the ernment of Madras to appoint Tripe as without difficulty on prepared paper. ‘fibre theory’ in organism construction, the official government photographer and This will probably be a useful appli- Berres saw them as ‘bubbles’ and did not pressing him into action is noteworthy. cation of the method; that it may be recognize them as cells3. Frederick Fiebig is the second key per- employed successfully, however, it is Several European names sparkle in the son. Fiebig lived in Calcutta in 1840– necessary that the paper be placed at history of photomicrography4. Refer 1850s. The Bengal and Agra Directory & but a small distance from the lens.’ to Overney and Overney article4 to see Annual Register (1849–1850) refers to illustrations of the photomicroscopes of Fiebig as a piano teacher. In the 1840s, John Benjamin Dancer (1812–1887), a the 19th century and early 20th century. while at Calcutta, he took to photogra- professional optician in London per- The present note is an effort to bring to phy. He made several topographic 800 CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 101, NO. 6, 25 SEPTEMBER 2011 HISTORICAL NOTES Figure 1. a, A Linnaeus Tripe photograph of a part of the Brihadisvara temple, Ŧanjavur (1858); an albumen-silver print, from Tripe’s Photographic Views of Tanjore and Trivady. Source: http://www.cca.qc.ca/en/. b, A Frederick Fiebig photograph of Madras light house (1851). Source: picasaweb.google.com/Indian.Satheesh/MADRAS. Table 1. Negatives of the photomicrographs submitted by Jesse Mitchell to the Madras Photographic Society Exhibition held in Madras in May 1859* i. proboscis of blow fly [484 x] ii. parasite of tame goose [484 x] iii. parasite of fowl, an Acarus (currently valid name; erected by Linnaeus 1758; Astigmata: Acaridae) [3.969 x] iv. a butterfly’s scale, Thecla (currently valid name; erected by Linnaeus 1758; Lepidoptera: Lycanidae) [276.676 x] v. ditto of item (iv) [672.400 x] vi. a butterfly’s scale, Polyommatus (currently valid name; erected by Linnaeus 1763; Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) [276.676 x] vii. parasite of pig [484 x] viii. proboscis of blow fly [1.600 x] ix. house flea [484 x] (a siphonapteran) x. trophi of a wasp [484 x] xi. wing of mosquito [484 x] xii. mouth of larva of ant lion [484 x] xiii. scale of Morpho menelaus (currently valid name; erected by Linnaeus 1768; Lepidoptera: Lycanidae) (Note: Is this a correct determination? Species of Morpho are not known in India) [72.900 x] xiv. Arnee muslin at Rs 12½ per yard [2.500 x] [‘Arnee muslin’ is the cotton fabric produced in the town Ãrni (12°67′N; 79°28′E) in Tiruannamalai District, near Madras] xv. Coccus lacca from mango tree [2.500 x] (current valid name: Kerria lacca (Kerr 1792); Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Kerridae) xvi. exuvia of bed bug showing lancets [484 x] (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) xvii. tarsus of a grasshopper [484 x] (Orthoptera) xviii. exuvia of a spider showing the jaws [484 x] *Text is presented as it is in the original; magnifications supplied in the original file are indicated in square brackets. Wherever appropriate, I have supplemented comments and remarks (‘Times’ typeface) ‘translating’ the 1850 data to the current time. photographs of Calcutta. He too used the ence (MJLS)8 (p. 174) under the section Mitchell submitted 18 negatives made then state-of-the-art photo-printing tech- Proceedings of Scientific Societies (Pro- in an achromatic compound microscope nique, viz. calotyping. While travelling ceedings of the Photographic Society (Table 1) with the following declaration: to Colombo (Ceylon) from Calcutta, en [sic. ‘of Madras’]) includes the following route, he touched Madras and took pho- notation: ‘The Negatives were taken by the 7 tos of the place (e.g. Figure 1 b). The Collodion process and are untouched. only reference to his photographs made The proofs were toned by Hardwick’s ‘Arrangements made for the appro- of and in Madras occurs in ‘Photography new Alkaline Chloride of Gold pro- aching Exhibition, proposed to open in Madras’ published in the Illustrated cess.’ (ref. 8, pp. 195–196) Indian Journal of Arts (Part 4, February on the first Thursday of next month (sic. “May 1859”).’ 1832, p. 32), which refers to his Madras No details on the photomicroscopic unit, visit in 1852. No other biographic details which Mitchell used in Madras to create are traceable; that he was a German by In the report of the Committee appointed the prize-winning photos are traceable. birth and from lithography he took to to adjudicate the Photographic Society’s In high likelihood, he may have used a photography remain unverified. medals dated 12 May 1859 (p. 175), ‘custom-made’ camera adapting it to the besides references to the medals awarded achromatic compound microscope that Photomicrography in Madras and to landscape photographs of entries that he had.
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