Optics

Historical Significance: This was the standard optometry text in optics for many years. The first edition was published in 1934. The last editions were published with MH Freeman in 1974 (8th) and 1980 (9th) and some editions ran to second printings. The Museum also holds the 3rd 1939 (Cat No 1409) and 5th 1959 (Cat No 577) editions. WHA Fincham and his brother EF Fincham were remarkable optometry scholars by any measure but especially in the context of being lecturers at a Polytech in the first half of the 20th C, neither having completed a university degree. WHA Fincham (1890 - 1977) FSMC and EF Fincham (1893 - 1963) FIntPhys FSMC FBOA taught in the optometry course at the Northampton Polytechnic, later City University. WAH Fincham wrote this highly successful optics book. He taught at the Polytech for 46 years. His brother, Edgar F Fincham, was the inventor of a number instruments including the Fincham Coincidence Optometer (Cat No 629), the Fincham Combined Corneal Microscope and Slit Lamp, the Fincham Ophthalmo-Retinoscope (Cat No 1124), the Fincham Plastic Artifical Eye Fitting Set, the Fincham Photo-Retinoscope, Fincham Sutcliffe Screening Scotometer / Electronic Field-plotting chart and the Fincham Combined Corneal Microscope and Slit Lamp. He also published a number of scholarly papers on accommodation and other subjects. See obit Br J Ophthalmol 1964; 48: 120