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A Near Vision Test with Numerals
883
EDITORIALS
by D r . Lee, trachoma being excessively c o m m o n in China. But the fundus changes, alteration o f the color and ap pearance o f the vessels, swelling and haziness of the retina, and hemorrhages doubtless belong to kala azar. T h e y are, in general, similar to those o f extreme anemia as developed in other diseases, notably pernicious anemia and chlorosis. Retinal hemorrhages and transudates, the most striking o f the lesions, appear when the anemia has become very p r o nounced. W i t h improvement in the gen eral condition, they disappear rather rapidly. Even more serious, tho less c o m m o n , is the disorganization o f the cornea similar to that produced by lack o f vitamin in the diet. These lesions are o f " A " interest o f themselves and for the light they may throw on other e y e lesions attending general diseases. It is quite possible that increased knowledge o f kala azar will throw some light on the essential nature o f some o f the conditions, like pernicious anemia, or the recurring hemorrhages into the vitreous in y o u n g people, long known but still obscure as to etiology. T h e effec tive treatment o f the disease by intraven ous injection o f a preparation o f arsenic suggests the possibility o f optic nerve lesions from this drug. But so far noth ing o f this kind has been reported. T h e extensive trial o f this line o f treatment for kala azar, may help to show the real nature o f the danger of optic atrophy and motor nerve lesions, when the arsenicals are used in the treatment o f syphilis. E . J.
A NEAR VISION TEST W I T H NUMERALS. A valued contributor writes thus to the editor: "I happen to be the head o f a clinic composed largely o f immigrants and other persons w h o are unable to read
English. In testing their distant vision, w e get along fairly well by the use o f cards with numbers or the letter " E " . In testing the near vision, however, we are frequently at a loss, because o f the patient's inability to read either English or German, which are the standard test cards f o r near vision. Formerly, there were such cards with figures instead o f letters, but I have tried in vain in recent years to obtain them, nor are they ad vertised in any of the catalogues of opti cal houses. I have talked with other oculists w h o have had the same desire and same e x perience, and it has occurred to m e that the Journal might be able to assist us. W o u l d it b e feasible f o r y o u o r one o f y o u r collaborators to design a series o f numbers in increasing sizes to take the place o f o r rather supplement the usual Jäger type ? Personally, I would be glad to buy a dozen or m o r e o f such cards, I am sure that there would be a sale for them in sufficient quantities to pay for their printing by some optical house, if a recognized authority in ophthal m o l o g y w o u l d prepare them and thus guarantee their correctness." O n inquiry it appears that a test card for near vision, using numerals instead o f letters, can be arranged without great difficulty and sufficiently exact for all practical purposes. Such a card will be prepared and every subscriber to the A . J. O . , w h o cares for it, will have the opportunity of obtaining a c o p y at an 'early date.
OMISSIONS. In the October number it was negglected to give due credit for the group photograph reproduced on page 810, to Dr. William C. Bane o f Denver. T h e picture was taken after the first round table luncheon before some o f the most important instructors had arrived to take part in the Course. H e n c e the absence o f the faces o f D r s . d e Schweinitz, Duane and others.
EDITORIALS
by D r . Lee, trachoma being excessively c o m m o n in China. But the fundus changes, alteration o f the color and ap pearance o f the vessels, swelling and haziness of the retina, and hemorrhages doubtless belong to kala azar. T h e y are, in general, similar to those o f extreme anemia as developed in other diseases, notably pernicious anemia and chlorosis. Retinal hemorrhages and transudates, the most striking o f the lesions, appear when the anemia has become very p r o nounced. W i t h improvement in the gen eral condition, they disappear rather rapidly. Even more serious, tho less c o m m o n , is the disorganization o f the cornea similar to that produced by lack o f vitamin in the diet. These lesions are o f " A " interest o f themselves and for the light they may throw on other e y e lesions attending general diseases. It is quite possible that increased knowledge o f kala azar will throw some light on the essential nature o f some o f the conditions, like pernicious anemia, or the recurring hemorrhages into the vitreous in y o u n g people, long known but still obscure as to etiology. T h e effec tive treatment o f the disease by intraven ous injection o f a preparation o f arsenic suggests the possibility o f optic nerve lesions from this drug. But so far noth ing o f this kind has been reported. T h e extensive trial o f this line o f treatment for kala azar, may help to show the real nature o f the danger of optic atrophy and motor nerve lesions, when the arsenicals are used in the treatment o f syphilis. E . J.
A NEAR VISION TEST W I T H NUMERALS. A valued contributor writes thus to the editor: "I happen to be the head o f a clinic composed largely o f immigrants and other persons w h o are unable to read
English. In testing their distant vision, w e get along fairly well by the use o f cards with numbers or the letter " E " . In testing the near vision, however, we are frequently at a loss, because o f the patient's inability to read either English or German, which are the standard test cards f o r near vision. Formerly, there were such cards with figures instead o f letters, but I have tried in vain in recent years to obtain them, nor are they ad vertised in any of the catalogues of opti cal houses. I have talked with other oculists w h o have had the same desire and same e x perience, and it has occurred to m e that the Journal might be able to assist us. W o u l d it b e feasible f o r y o u o r one o f y o u r collaborators to design a series o f numbers in increasing sizes to take the place o f o r rather supplement the usual Jäger type ? Personally, I would be glad to buy a dozen or m o r e o f such cards, I am sure that there would be a sale for them in sufficient quantities to pay for their printing by some optical house, if a recognized authority in ophthal m o l o g y w o u l d prepare them and thus guarantee their correctness." O n inquiry it appears that a test card for near vision, using numerals instead o f letters, can be arranged without great difficulty and sufficiently exact for all practical purposes. Such a card will be prepared and every subscriber to the A . J. O . , w h o cares for it, will have the opportunity of obtaining a c o p y at an 'early date.
OMISSIONS. In the October number it was negglected to give due credit for the group photograph reproduced on page 810, to Dr. William C. Bane o f Denver. T h e picture was taken after the first round table luncheon before some o f the most important instructors had arrived to take part in the Course. H e n c e the absence o f the faces o f D r s . d e Schweinitz, Duane and others.