110 Years Ago, These Microscopic Photos Horrified Londoners

In 1904, the micrographs Arthur E. Smith, were exhibited at the Royal Society's Annual Conversazione in London, are showing many viewers the world under a microscope for the first time. And some reacted to these giant images of insects, plants, and human body parts with not just wonder, but revulsion as well.

A diatom from Bori, Hungary

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Tiny marine species with skeleton composed of silica (Polycystina) from Barbados

Radula (a toothed ribbon used for cutting food by molluscs) of a sea snail

Section of a sea urchin

The sucking tube on the tongue of a blow-fly

Tongue of a butterfly

Foot of the great diving battle (Dytiscus marginalis)

Larva of antlion

Head of crane fly, also known as the Johnny Spinner

Triceratium favus

Section of a Lily bud

Transverse section of human scalp

Vertical section of a human tooth

Sheep tick

Mideopsis orbicularis, a water mite

The skin of a sole

The camera gear and the microscope used for the photo-micrographs above

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All images are from the Internet Archive.