Summary

Source of light is provided by lamp or (by removing the lamp housing) sunlight. The beam is split into two by a prism and passes through a circular wedge of grey neutral tint. One beam passes through distilled water, the other through the solution being tested. The two beams of light are viewed through a telescope tube and form two halves of a split field. A filter is passed over the eyepiece coloured according to the solution being tested. Thus for a red haemoglobin solution a green filter is used. The two halves of the field are by turning the circular wedge and reading the results on a scale. What is being matched is intensity and not colour. Most iodometric analyses can be done with this instrument by using the appropriate filters, but it is used mainly for haemoglobulinometry - the measurment of haemoglobulin in the blood. It was the best of the visual instruments.
Used by Commonwealth Serum Laboratories, (CSL) Ltd, Parkville, Victoria.

Physical Description

Oblong black box, containing tubelike cylinder black and cream with telescopic viewer at one end. Centre platform houses compartments for changing parts plus adjustable dial. Electric power outlet. Two spare lenses mounted in carry case.

Significance

Example of equipment used at CSL for blood work

More Information

  • Collection Names

    CSL (Commonwealth Serum Laboratories) Collection

  • Collecting Areas

    Medicine & Health, Science & Measurement

  • Acquisition Information

    Donation from CSL Ltd (Commonwealth Serum Laboratories), 24 Mar 2004

  • User

    CSL Ltd (Commonwealth Serum Laboratories), 45 Poplar Road, Parkville, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1970

  • Inscriptions

    On object: KEELER/ M.R.C.Photometer/ LONDON. ENGLAND. PAT.No.12126/48. On box: "MUSEUM PIECE"/ Grey Wedge Photometer/ In this instrument a source of light is/ provided by a lamp or (by removing the lamp/ housing) by sunlight. The beam is split in-/to two by means of a prism and passes through/ a circular wedge of a neutral grey tint./ One beam passes through distilled water; the/ other through the solution being tested./ The wto beams of light are viewed through a/ "telescope" tube and form two halves of a / split field. A filter is placed over the/ eyepiece of the tube coloured according to/ the solution being tested. Thus for a red/ heamoglobin solution a green filter is used./ The two halves of the field are matfched by/ turning the circular wedge and reading the/ results on a scale./ It is imporant to realise that what is being/ matched is intensity, not colour./ Most colorimetric analyses can be done with/ this instrucment by using the appropriate/ filters, but it was used mainly for/ haemoglobinometry. It was the best of the/ visual instruments.

  • Classification

    Medicine & health, Medical research, Laboratory equipment

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Technology

  • Type of item

    Object

  • Overall Dimensions

    34.7 cm (Length), 12.5 cm (Width), 14 cm (Height)

  • Keywords

    Blood Analysis, Laboratory Apparatus & Equipment, Photometers