This article explores the impact of 16th and 17th-century developments in micrometry on the methods Antoni van Leeuwenhoek employed to measure the microscopic creatures he discovered in various samples collected from his acquaintances and from local water sources. While other publications have presented Leeuwenhoek's measurement methods, an examination of the context of his techniques is missing. These previous measurement methods, driven by the need to improve navigation, surveying, astronomy, and ballistics, may have had an impact on Leeuwenhoek's methods. Leeuwenhoek was educated principally in the mercantile guild system in Amsterdam and Delft. He rose to positions of responsibility within Delft municipal government. These were the years that led up to his first investigations using the single-lens microscopes he became expert at creating, and that led to his first letter to the Royal Society in 1673. He also took measures to train in surveying and liquid assaying practices existing in his time, disciplines that were influenced by Pedro Nunes, Pierre Vernier, Rene Descartes, and others. While we may never know what inspired Leeuwenhoek's methods, the argument is presented that there were sufficient influences in his life to shape his approach to measuring the invisible.

本文探讨了16世纪和17世纪测微技术的发展对Antoni van Leeuwenhoek用来测量他在从他的熟人和当地水源收集的各种样本中发现的微观生物的方法的影响。尽管其他出版物介绍了Leeuwenhoek的测量方法，但缺少对他的技术背景的检查。由于需要改进导航，测量，天文学和弹道学，这些先前的测量方法可能会对Leeuwenhoek的方法产生影响。Leeuwenhoek主要在阿姆斯特丹和代尔夫特的商业行会体系中接受教育。他升任​​代尔夫特市政府的负责人。正是这些年，他开始使用他成为专家的单镜头显微镜进行研究，并于1673年致函皇家学会。他还采取了一些措施，对现有的测量和液体测定方法进行培训在他的时代，受到佩德罗·纳内斯（Pedro Nunes），皮埃尔·韦尼尔（Pierre Vernier），雷内·笛卡尔（Rene Descartes）等人影响的学科。虽然我们可能永远不知道是什么激发了Leeuwenhoek的方法的灵感，但有人提出这样的论点，即他一生中有足够的影响力来塑造他测量无形的方法。