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Bulletin of the Greek Ophthalmological Society
132
BOOK REVIEWS
source of perennial confusion." He sagely differentiates between optical, retinal, and mental images and illustrates the value of this discrimination in discussing the image size in accommodation. He shows how the general definition of a base curve, "a fixed standard curve for a variety of lens powers," is applied differently to spherical lenses, torics, and bifocals. The bewildering vari ability of optical symbols is deplored, and truly our national societies should recognize this plight and recommend local standard ized designations. Though Pascal's outlook is fundamentally orthodox throughout, the book is studded with original conceptions and methods. For instance, the radian method of calculation readily determines that only 13.5 mm. of lens is utilized in the normal range of eye motion. The idea of the accommodative unit explains, among other things, why a fully corrected hyperope requires reading glasses sooner than a myope in the same situation. Again, the correcting lens is shown to change the optical length of the eye rather than its power in that it effects predominantly a shift of the second principal point; and a simple method is expounded of utilizing the stereo scope to increase convergence while repress ing accommodation, or vice versa. A special attraction for teachers of physiologic optics are fine quotable passages: "The mental and physical states of both patient and examiner are bound to modify the findings"; "The lens does not change the eye, but the lens changes the light so that the eye can focus it." The ingenious method for the direct de termination of minus power on the optical bench will also appeal, as well as the brilliant addenda to the graphic determination of the spherocylindric equivalent of obliquely crossed cylinders. This didactic gem deserves several edi tions. Judicious streamlining of the present material would permit a more thorough going discussion of the astigmatic dial, pro cedures of binocular examination, the duochrome test, muscle imbalance, bifocal seg
ments, trifocals, and telescopic spectacles. When St. Thomas Aquinas was asked in what manner a man might best become learned, he answered, "By reading one book!" If this book is assimilated as if it were the only text on the subject, the reader will attain—in spite of some voids and deficencies therein—a keener, rewarding in sight into the field of ophthalmic optics. James E. Lebensohn.
BULLETIN OF THE GREEK OPHTHALMOLOG-
Athens, Greece. Volume 18, Part 1: Monthly sessions of the society, January to June, 1950. Prof. G. Cosmetatos in "Clinical and therapeutic observations on detachment of the retina" tells how he systematically em ployed the methods of Gonin and Weve from 1934 until his retirement as director of the Athens University eye clinic in 1948, operating with 70 percent success in 374 more or less unselected cases. B. Vassilopoulos traces the evolution of views regarding tubercle of the conjunctiva and reports a case of his own in which treatment with streptomycin was ineffectual and, in a paper on the ocular findings in erythremia, calls attention to a certain dis tribution of punctate pigmentary deposits on the anterior surface of the iris which he con siders characteristic of this disease. I. Kinnas reports the case of an albino in which the nasal half of each iris was nearly normal but the temporal half showed marked hypoplasia of the stroma and multiple small colobomas. N. Trantas reports on the presence, often apparently transitory, of many cystlike spaces or vacuoles which he has observed with the slitlamp in the conjunctiva, either in the epithelium or just below it, in a case of acute iritis, in trachoma, and even in normal eyes. In another paper he reports on finding vessels identical with the so-called laminary veins of Goldmann and aqueous veins of Ascher in a corneal leukoma remote ICAL SOCIETY.
BOOK REVIEWS
from the limbus. The presence of such vessels in the central zone of the cornea con firms his belief that veins of this type have nothing to do with the circulation of the aqueous humor. His views in this regard are elaborated in a long paper detailing his study of the so-called aqueous veins of Ascher in 18 persons, and he reaffirms his conviction that neither Ascher's nor Goldmann's veins contain aqueous from Schlemm's canal but are merely empty blood vessels or else con tain plasma. G. Kaniclides reports two cases of ocular hypersensitivity to a one-percent solution of zinc sulfate. E. Theodorides and Coutrolicos report on a case of blastomycosis of the con junctiva, a localization of the disease which they say has never been reported from any part of the world except Epirus in northern Greece; they suggest that special climatic factors may be responsible. Among the cases presented and discussed are: stubborn iritis with secondary glaucoma treated successfully with nonperforating dia thermy by Albaugh and Dunphy's method; successful removal of an intraocular cysticercus by the posterior route; ophthalmoplegic migraine manifesting unilateral ptosis and complete paralysis of the third and fourth nerves; unilateral Gunn's syndrome occurring in members of the same family and affecting the right eye in each case; secondary glaucoma following loss of the anterior chamber after cataract extraction and cured by injection of air into the anterior chamber; Harada's disease (two cases); anterior polar cataract simulating anterior lenticonus; bilateral aniridia and dislocation of the lens; optic atrophy beginning eight days after gastric hemorrhages and resulting in total blindness in three days. C. Djacos presented a paper on the cen tenary of the invention of the ophthalmo scope with particular reference to the con tribution of A. Anagnostakis, the father of modern Greek ophthalmology. Anagnostakis published his paper on the ophthalmoscope in 1853, and his contribution to the success
133
ful use of this instrument was very great. The earlier models of the Helmholtz instru ment were so difficult to manage that hardly 10 ophthalmologists in the whole world were adept in ophthalmoscopy until an instrument simplified and redesigned by Anagnostakis was made available. Within the first six months, 800 instruments of his design were sold. All subsequent models derive essentially from his, which was the first to incorporate a concave mirror. G. Cosmetatos and B. Vassilopoulos con tributed an interesting account of the 18thcentury knight errant of ophthalmology, John Taylor, and described his couching operation for cataract. J. Charamis told of an oculist who prac ticed in Zante in the 18th century, Anthony Rousmelis, the holder of the first certificate of specialization ever issued, at least for Greece. Charamis also contributed a necrologic notice on the Cretan ophthalmologist, G. Photakis. Summaries in French are given of most of the papers and case reports. Harry K. Messenger.
TRANSACTIONS OF THE SOCIETE D'OPHTAL-
April, 1951, pp. 492534. G. Offret and Forest present a patient with severe headaches of vascular origin as proved by arteriography. G. Renard and Dinza describe their new equipment and method for detecting malingering of mo nocular amblyopia. Jourdy observed the rapid general spread of a lymphosarcoma of the skull in an infant. The metastasis included both orbits. Jean Sedan saw a peculiar su perficial keratitis in five construction work ers who handled a special wood polish and glue. Fellow workers of the same factory had occasional skin irritations. A. Dollfuss discusses the importance of X-ray and radium treatment in cancerous growth of the eyeball and its adnexa and gives a clear summary of its possibilities. MOLOGIE DE FRANCE.
BOOK REVIEWS
source of perennial confusion." He sagely differentiates between optical, retinal, and mental images and illustrates the value of this discrimination in discussing the image size in accommodation. He shows how the general definition of a base curve, "a fixed standard curve for a variety of lens powers," is applied differently to spherical lenses, torics, and bifocals. The bewildering vari ability of optical symbols is deplored, and truly our national societies should recognize this plight and recommend local standard ized designations. Though Pascal's outlook is fundamentally orthodox throughout, the book is studded with original conceptions and methods. For instance, the radian method of calculation readily determines that only 13.5 mm. of lens is utilized in the normal range of eye motion. The idea of the accommodative unit explains, among other things, why a fully corrected hyperope requires reading glasses sooner than a myope in the same situation. Again, the correcting lens is shown to change the optical length of the eye rather than its power in that it effects predominantly a shift of the second principal point; and a simple method is expounded of utilizing the stereo scope to increase convergence while repress ing accommodation, or vice versa. A special attraction for teachers of physiologic optics are fine quotable passages: "The mental and physical states of both patient and examiner are bound to modify the findings"; "The lens does not change the eye, but the lens changes the light so that the eye can focus it." The ingenious method for the direct de termination of minus power on the optical bench will also appeal, as well as the brilliant addenda to the graphic determination of the spherocylindric equivalent of obliquely crossed cylinders. This didactic gem deserves several edi tions. Judicious streamlining of the present material would permit a more thorough going discussion of the astigmatic dial, pro cedures of binocular examination, the duochrome test, muscle imbalance, bifocal seg
ments, trifocals, and telescopic spectacles. When St. Thomas Aquinas was asked in what manner a man might best become learned, he answered, "By reading one book!" If this book is assimilated as if it were the only text on the subject, the reader will attain—in spite of some voids and deficencies therein—a keener, rewarding in sight into the field of ophthalmic optics. James E. Lebensohn.
BULLETIN OF THE GREEK OPHTHALMOLOG-
Athens, Greece. Volume 18, Part 1: Monthly sessions of the society, January to June, 1950. Prof. G. Cosmetatos in "Clinical and therapeutic observations on detachment of the retina" tells how he systematically em ployed the methods of Gonin and Weve from 1934 until his retirement as director of the Athens University eye clinic in 1948, operating with 70 percent success in 374 more or less unselected cases. B. Vassilopoulos traces the evolution of views regarding tubercle of the conjunctiva and reports a case of his own in which treatment with streptomycin was ineffectual and, in a paper on the ocular findings in erythremia, calls attention to a certain dis tribution of punctate pigmentary deposits on the anterior surface of the iris which he con siders characteristic of this disease. I. Kinnas reports the case of an albino in which the nasal half of each iris was nearly normal but the temporal half showed marked hypoplasia of the stroma and multiple small colobomas. N. Trantas reports on the presence, often apparently transitory, of many cystlike spaces or vacuoles which he has observed with the slitlamp in the conjunctiva, either in the epithelium or just below it, in a case of acute iritis, in trachoma, and even in normal eyes. In another paper he reports on finding vessels identical with the so-called laminary veins of Goldmann and aqueous veins of Ascher in a corneal leukoma remote ICAL SOCIETY.
BOOK REVIEWS
from the limbus. The presence of such vessels in the central zone of the cornea con firms his belief that veins of this type have nothing to do with the circulation of the aqueous humor. His views in this regard are elaborated in a long paper detailing his study of the so-called aqueous veins of Ascher in 18 persons, and he reaffirms his conviction that neither Ascher's nor Goldmann's veins contain aqueous from Schlemm's canal but are merely empty blood vessels or else con tain plasma. G. Kaniclides reports two cases of ocular hypersensitivity to a one-percent solution of zinc sulfate. E. Theodorides and Coutrolicos report on a case of blastomycosis of the con junctiva, a localization of the disease which they say has never been reported from any part of the world except Epirus in northern Greece; they suggest that special climatic factors may be responsible. Among the cases presented and discussed are: stubborn iritis with secondary glaucoma treated successfully with nonperforating dia thermy by Albaugh and Dunphy's method; successful removal of an intraocular cysticercus by the posterior route; ophthalmoplegic migraine manifesting unilateral ptosis and complete paralysis of the third and fourth nerves; unilateral Gunn's syndrome occurring in members of the same family and affecting the right eye in each case; secondary glaucoma following loss of the anterior chamber after cataract extraction and cured by injection of air into the anterior chamber; Harada's disease (two cases); anterior polar cataract simulating anterior lenticonus; bilateral aniridia and dislocation of the lens; optic atrophy beginning eight days after gastric hemorrhages and resulting in total blindness in three days. C. Djacos presented a paper on the cen tenary of the invention of the ophthalmo scope with particular reference to the con tribution of A. Anagnostakis, the father of modern Greek ophthalmology. Anagnostakis published his paper on the ophthalmoscope in 1853, and his contribution to the success
133
ful use of this instrument was very great. The earlier models of the Helmholtz instru ment were so difficult to manage that hardly 10 ophthalmologists in the whole world were adept in ophthalmoscopy until an instrument simplified and redesigned by Anagnostakis was made available. Within the first six months, 800 instruments of his design were sold. All subsequent models derive essentially from his, which was the first to incorporate a concave mirror. G. Cosmetatos and B. Vassilopoulos con tributed an interesting account of the 18thcentury knight errant of ophthalmology, John Taylor, and described his couching operation for cataract. J. Charamis told of an oculist who prac ticed in Zante in the 18th century, Anthony Rousmelis, the holder of the first certificate of specialization ever issued, at least for Greece. Charamis also contributed a necrologic notice on the Cretan ophthalmologist, G. Photakis. Summaries in French are given of most of the papers and case reports. Harry K. Messenger.
TRANSACTIONS OF THE SOCIETE D'OPHTAL-
April, 1951, pp. 492534. G. Offret and Forest present a patient with severe headaches of vascular origin as proved by arteriography. G. Renard and Dinza describe their new equipment and method for detecting malingering of mo nocular amblyopia. Jourdy observed the rapid general spread of a lymphosarcoma of the skull in an infant. The metastasis included both orbits. Jean Sedan saw a peculiar su perficial keratitis in five construction work ers who handled a special wood polish and glue. Fellow workers of the same factory had occasional skin irritations. A. Dollfuss discusses the importance of X-ray and radium treatment in cancerous growth of the eyeball and its adnexa and gives a clear summary of its possibilities. MOLOGIE DE FRANCE.