Table of Contents

1. The Scientific Life of Wells.- Scientific Life of Wells.- Theory of Dew.- Theory of Natural Selection.- A Memoir of the Life of William Charles Wells, M.D. Written by Himself.- 2. Visual Science in the Eighteenth Century.- Colour.- Optics and Medicine.- Cheselden’s Case.- Accommodation.- Binocular Vision.- 3. An Essay Upon Single Vision With Two Eyes.- Essay upon Single Vision with Two Eyes.- 4. Wells and Visual Science.- Single Vision with Two Eyes.- Afterimages.- Eye Movements.- Visual Persistence.- Accommodation.- Eyeglasses.- Distinct Vision.- Visible Position and Motion.- 5. Wells and The Origins of Vestibular Research.- Early History of Vertigo.- Wells and Erasmus Darwin: The Vertiginous Philosophers.- Darwin’s device: The Rotative Couch.- Visual Orientation.- Why Was Wells’ Work on Vertigo Overlooked?.- 6. The Scientific Vision of Wells.- Nativism and Empiricism.- Binocular Vision.- Afterimages.- Vertigo.- 7. Scientific Vision After Wells.- Instrumental Origins of Experimental Psychology.- Binocular vision.- Accommodation.- Vestibular Research.- 8. Distinguished Oblivion.- Wells and Vision.- Wells and Medicine.- The Ultimate Oblivion.- Appendix. Account of a Female of the White Race of Mankind, Part of Whose Skin Resembles that of a Negro(1813/1818).- References.- Name Index.

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"Wade's extensive knowledge [...] allows him to do a skillful job relating Well's contributions to earlier and later developments[...] The volume will interest serious scholars of visual perception and those interested in the history of this science[...] Highly recommended."
(Choice, 41:4 (December 2003)