Microscope used by Louis Pasteur in his investigations on silkworm diseases, Paris, France, 1860-1870

Microscope by E. Hartnack et Cie, Paris with two objective lenses, two eyepieces and wooden mahogany case, 1850-1868, used by Pasteur in his investigation of silkworm disease, 1868

Louis Pasteur (1822-1895), the French chemist and microbiologist, used this compound microscope to study the diseases of silkworms between 1868-1869. The microscope has its own mahogany case which contains two objec-tive lenses and two eyepieces. It is shown with a string of silkworm cocoons (A63336).

Pasteur donated this microscope to the family with which he stayed while he was doing this work and Henry Wellcome’s museum purchased it from them in 1926.