SM-POL Polarizing Microscope with Incident Light Attachment
David J. Sencer CDC Museum
SM-POL Polarizing Microscope with Incident Light Attachment
Manufactured by Ernst Leitz Wetzlar, West Germany, ca. 1965
On loan from the David J. Sencer CDC Museum, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
This relatively simple microscope was used by the legendary Dr. William “Bill” Collins (1929-2013) during his over 50-year career at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, preceded by stints in the U.S. Army and at NIH. Trained as an entomologist, Dr. Collins devoted himself to studying malaria parasites. In fact, the scientific community recognized Collins’ intensive work in this field by naming a subspecies for him, Plasmodium vivax collinsi.
More than a piece of laboratory equipment, this microscope is emblematic of the dedication of CDC scientists to making a difference in preventing and controlling diseases.
Photograph
Dr. Bill Collins, 2004. Photograph by Greg Knobloch, CDC