Many common manmade objects around the home are worth studying under the microscope at low power. The fine plastic gauzes found in adhesive first aid dressings, for example, are fascinating to study with different lighting techniques, and a selection of images of this subject are shown below.

The gauze structure can vary between different brands of dressing. This is the gauze from Boots' own brand which reveals an interesting structure under the microscope. Image right: LOMO 3.5x planachromatic objective, brightfield. This gauze structure differs from the gauze illustrated in an earlier Micscape Image Gallery.
Detail, LOMO 9x objective, brightfield.
Detail, LOMO 9x objective, darkfield, homemade stop.
Detail, LOMO 9x objective. An attempt with Rheinberg illumination using the same darkfield stop as above with alternating red and blue quadrants laid on the stop in the filter tray.
LOMO 3.5x objective, crossed polarisation filters.
Detail, LOMO 9x objective, crossed polarisation filters.
Detail, LOMO 9x objective, darkfield/oblique illumination with small sector cut out of dark stop.

   Comments to the author Dave Walker are welcomed.  

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