Summary

Plate reader used for penicillin colony detection. Moulds being screened for penicillin production are grown on agar covered plates with a bacterium sensitive to penicillin. The bigger the clear spot around the bacterial colonies, the more potent the penicillin. The light box shows up even faint spots by oblique light. Possibly manufactured by AO Spencer/Eimer and Amend/NY USA. Used by Commonwealth Serum Laboratories (CSL) Limited, Parkville, Victoria from c1945

Physical Description

Irregular black hexagonal shaped light box with circular glass window inserted in front and circular glass magnifier protruding perpendicular to window attached on a rod support. Electric powered.

Significance

An example of equipment used in the early manufacture of penicillin by CSL

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