A very early example of a photographically illustrated medical book. Some of the negatives were made by Julius Pollock, but most were by Beale, who also made the prints in his laboratory at home. In the very interesting preface, Beale discusses the practicality of photographic book illustration, and gives data on the time and cost of producing prints. Of the edition size, Beale states that it was only “a few copies.” – “the photographs were taken from diagrams copied from the author’s drawings. Many of them have been much diminished . . . the diagrams from which the photographs were taken, were copied from drawings which had been traced from the preparations with the aid of the neutral tint glass reflector. The magnifying power has been estimated by comparison with the original objects, . . .” . Beale, one of the leading authorities on microphotography, was the first physiological investigator to practice the method of fixing tissues by injections. An unusually good draughtsman, Beale himself illustrated his books profusely with graphic drawings. His drawings of Beale’s cells are still reproduced in standard works on histology.

Lionel Smith Beale was a British physician, microscopist, and professor at King’s College London. He graduated in medicine from King’s College in 1851. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1857. He was one of the leading authorities on microphotograph and the first physiological investigator to practice the method of fixing tissues by injections. His discoveries included the pyriform nerve ganglion cells, called “Beale´s cells.” An unusually good draughtsman, Beale himself illustrated his books profusely with graphic drawings. His drawings of Beale’s cells are still reproduced in standard works on histology. [1]