November 19 2010 (Friday) - A Microscopical Camera


(I’ll allow myself a little rant today as well…)

For some time I’ve wanted the ability to photograph what I see down my microscope. The logical people to speak to about this would be the people who service the microscopes. I’ve been chasing them about this for two years: they just don’t get back to be.
The histology people have a wonderful system for photographing what they see down their microscopes, but it’s not cheap (five thousand pounds!).

 I knew exactly what I wanted, it only costs thirty five quid, and so I tried to obtain one through the proper channels. The supplies department were very loathe to buy anything from an Internet supplier. The I.T. department made all sorts of complications about security implications (?) After a month’s squabbling and beating my head against (virtual) brick walls, on Monday I got the go-ahead to buy one. I ordered it on Monday, it arrived Wednesday, and we had the software installed today. I only hope I can get my thirty five quid back from petty cash…

So far I’ve only photographed the neutrophil above. But it proves a point, and from now on students are no longer dependent on blagging pictures from Google Images and hoping no one can tell where the picture came from.
And once I’ve made the various updates and changes to the websites of advice for pre-registration and specialist portfolios, I’ve half a mind to put together my own on-line atlas of haematology…

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