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Description: | The rapid advances in Natural Philosophy (Physics) of the previous centuries continued in the 19th century. Sir David Brewster, Principal of the University of St Andrews’s United College, 1838-1859, was an eminent scientist of this period making important discoveries in the field of optics and explaining double refraction and polarization of light. He invented the kaleidoscope and lenticular stereoscope (examples of these are in the University's museum collections), both of which became sources of popular amusement in Victorian households.
It was, however, in electricity and magnetism that natural philosophers across Europe were making the most significant developments. This is reflected in the equipment purchased during the 19th century at St Andrews. In the early part of the century the Natural Philosophy department acquired a Medical Electrical Machine and a Dry Pile Electroscope. Later, William Swan (Professor of Natural Philosophy 1859-80) compiled an inventory of the apparatus purchased during his professorship and this included Holtz’s Electrical Machine made by Ruhmkorff, Paris (1875), and a Quadrant Electrometer made by James White of Glasgow (1874). All these instruments are now in the Collection of Historic Scientific Instruments. | Subjects: | SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS INSTRUMENT ELECTRICITY PHYSICS NATURAL PHILOSOPHY | Source: | University of St Andrews | Address: | KY16 9AJ | Creator: | University of St Andrews | Contributor: | University of St Andrews | Identifier: | PH:C91 | Language: | en-GB | Relation: | MC:C48 |
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