Ophthalmic lenses

Historical Significance: This book was a standard text for optometry students in the UK and in Australia for many years. The first edition was published in 1928. The Museum holds the 3rd edition 1935 (Cat No 257), 4th 1940 (Cat No 1826), 5th 1947 (Cat No 568) and the 6th 1951 (Cat No 1403).Emsley and Swaine taught at the Northampton Polytechnic, London, (founded 1894 later in 1966 to become the City University London) which offered an optometry course. Emsley BSc was a physcist and Head of the Applied Optics Department in the Northhampton Polytechnic . He also wrote Visual Optics, another standard optometry text book of the mid 20th C, See catalogue No 100, 564-567 for various editions of Emsley's Visual Optics. Swaine BSc FSMC was an optometrist but at the time of writing the 4th edition he is described as lecturer in physics, West Ham Municipal College. Picture is of Swaine.