Pigeon-Cantonnet stereoscope
 Catalogue Number: 4405 Pigeon-Cantonnet stereoscope Category: Equipment Sub-Category: Synoptophore, stereoscope Description Of Item: Heavily engineered Pigeon-Cantonnet stereoscope, presumably custom made. Three thick sheets of black painted masonite boards attached on one side, with a plane mirror fixed on one face of the middle leaf, which acts as a septum. Aluminium sliding plates to hold targets attached to bar along the top inside surfaces of the outer boards along with a white numeric scale with black numbers. Thin metal stays control the angle between the leaves, which can be adjusted to one of two positions. A large clip holds the instrument closed when not in use. 330 mm x 205 mm.Two removable targets made of cut-out pictures pasted onto paper sheets are still in the instrument. VICTORIAN COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY' in adhesive dymo tape pasted along edge of back masonite board. Historical Significance: Leon Pigeon (a professor at the University of Dijon, France), devised this instrument for viewing stereoscopic photographs and applied for a patent on November 16th, 1904, to protect his invention. Unlike Wheatstone's mirror-stereoscope, which used two mirrors, Pigeon's invention only needs one mirror. And therefore, only one of the images forming a stereo-pair (the one viewed through the mirror) has to be printed reversed or "mirror-inverted". A Dr Monnet investigated its use for the treatment of squint (Strabismus). Dr Cantonnet made modifications to it so it became known as the Pigeon-Cantonnet stereoscope. Its use in clinical practice is described on pages 67 to 71 in the book 'Strabismus: Its re-education: the physiology and pathology of binocular vision' by CANTONNET Andre Louis Henri, FILLOZAT Jean with the collaboration of G. Fombeure. Translated by Max COQUE 1934, See Cat No. 154. Cantonnet was an ophthalmologist at the Larenec Hospital in Paris and Director of the Albert Remy School of Re-education. How Acquired: Donated by VCO clinic Date Acquired: 2011 Condition: Fair. Paint on masonite outer sheets is faded and scratched Location: Documents Room West Unit Bay 2 Shelf 5 |