An Entoptic Phenomenon.

Dear Editor:
The following will probably be of interest to readers of Science Discussions.
Some time ago there was a problem presented which caused some discussion among readers. If a person goes into a
dark room and holds a candle in front, and to the side of, one eye, a curious phenomenon will be seen, appearing as an
image. Some of the debaters argued that the image was that of the brain.
The correct scientific explanation, which was given, is that the image represented the fundus of the eye, showing the
snaky shadow images of the retinal arteries and veins.
Now to my point. In perusing books on the subject, I came across an old volume of physiology, written by a Professor
Yeo. He mentions the candle experiment and then says that if a person looks down the barrel of a brightly illuminated
microscope, through the corner of one eye, he will see the images, this phenomenon being called Purkinjes Figures. I have
performed this experiment several times, but have not witnessed the images.
However, while serving as a subject for an experimenting friend, I saw Purkinjes Figures again. The experimenter
was examining my right eye, with an ophthalmoscope. On comparing notes, I found that on the image which appeared to
be projected in space a foot or so away, I had listed one or two points about the fundus which he had not noted. On more
attentive examination he found that I was correct. I think he called Purkinjes Figures an entoptic phenomenon.
And from my friend I learned another method of seeing the images of the retinal blood vessels. He said that if the
experimenter looks at a white surface, through a small hole in a metal plate, on oscillating the aperture in relationship
with the pupil, once a second, the vessels will be seen as shadows on a white background. However, I have not seen the
figures by this method.
I think that readers will find these experiments, which I have mentioned, very interesting to try. I should like to know
how their results compare with mine, i. e., whether they see Purkinjes Figures in all the experiments, or only in one or
two.A. G. Snobel, Kings College, Strand, London.