Anton Van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723).

*Dept. of Medicine, TN Medical College & BYL Nair Ch. Hospital, Mumbai 400 008. L was a Dutch storekeeper and part-time janitor in Delft. he was little educated, but his business and his job kept him comfortably off and he lived only for his hobby, grinding of lenses. He made lens after lens and was determined to make as perfect a lens as possible. These lenses were small, scarcely about 3-4 mm in diameter. He was a superb craftsman and made slender, but strong mounts and stands that supported the lenses. These "simple microscopes" were remarkably effective.