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Myiasis Des Auges: Medical and Entomologic Principles
BOOK REVIEWS
800
The Cambridge Research Unit reported that: "Visual alertness and concentration tend to inhibit normal blinking, which therefore would appear not to be a source of danger in driving unless something hap pens unexpectedly." Paul Miles stressed the need of good peripheral vision: "Seldom is an object first discovered by the fovea. Its image first falls on peripheral retina, attracts attention by brightness, color, or movement, then stim ulates fixation reflexes. . . . Visual reflexes are relatively slow. The simplest visual re flex in which a sudden peripheral stimulus starts an ocular fixation movement takes 0.15 second." All agreed that periodic visual re-exam inations should be done every three years. James E. Lebensohn. A
CLINICAL
STUDY
OF
CONCOMITANT
By Leon Coppez. Bulletin de la Societe beige d'ophtalmologie: Volume 112. Bruxelles Imprimerie medicale et scientifique, 67, Rue de l'orient. 120 pages. Price: Not listed. The purpose of this monograph was to outline the dominant aspects of the sympto matic and surgical treatment of concomitant squint in a condensed form and to exclude the paralytic elements. Details of the an atomy and physiology of the ocular muscles are omitted as they were previously ably discussed by Weekers and Daenen. The study was, therefore, restricted to the es sential facts of binocular vision, its disturb ances and abnormalities, the methods of investigation and interpretation of findings. Only those techniques which were found adequate by personal experience are de scribed. The plan and modes of investiga tion are chiefly presented in diagrams and tables. The favored surgical techniques are merely enumerated, as they were described in the report on paralytic squint in 1954. SQUINT.
The first section of the volume is devoted to diagnosis, a description of the different
stages of examination, description of the instruments in use, the interpretation of find ings, and a tentative classification of con comitant squint. A short survey of the etiology of concomitant strabismus is given in Chapter III and an equally short summary of heterophorias in Chapter VI. Chapters IV and V deal with procedures and the suc cessive steps in the handling of individual cases, timing, choice of operation, and a short description of the preferred techniques. The reasons for the good functional and cosmetic results in the early treatment of concomitant strabismus (that is before the age of six years) are analyzed. Special im portance is given to the recognition and elimination of abnormal correspondence be fore a fixed, permanent pattern of binocular vision has been established. It is stressed that the prognosis depends to a great extent on this crucial point. The clear descriptions, exact deductions and conclusions, as well as the practical clinical approach to the sub ject give this manual the didactic value for which it was primarily written. Alice R. Deutsch. MYIASIS DES AUGES : MEDICAL AND ENTO-
MOLOGIC PRINCIPLES. By
H.
Kriimmel
and A. Brauns. Berlin, Duncker & Humlot, 1956. 66 pages, 16 illustrations, bibli ography. Price: DM 16. Myiasis is the term applied to disturbances caused by larvae of flies in a living organ ism—man or vertebrates. The present mono graph is the result of the combined efforts of an ophthalmologist and an entomologist. In the first few chapters, ophthalmomyiasis is discussed with regard to clinical symp toms, diagnostic problems, and therapy. In their discussion, the authors follow Behr's classification into a relatively benign external and an almost always disastrous internal form. Histologic and clinical findings sug gest that the larvae take a transscleral route into the subretinal space or the vitre ous rather than a route via the anterior
BOOK REVIEWS
chamber to produce the internal form. It is stressed that ophthalmomyiasis frequently is a complication of a nasal form, with mi gration of the larvae into the orbit via the sphenoidal fissures. The second part of the volume deals with differential diagnosis of the larvae. Although it would be desirable to obtain a live larva and grow it into an imago, this is hardly ever feasible. There is a detailed description of the differential diagnosis of various species of larvae that should be of prime interest to the entomologist who, ideally, should co-operate with the ophthalmologist in evaluating every case of ophthalmomyia sis. The authors are mostly interested in the larvae of flies common to Central Europe. They append a comprehensive bibliography that should prove invaluable to anyone in terested in the subject. Stefan Van Wien.
interest, the lens. As might be expected this section is superb. A chapter on the cornea follows next and, in discussing hydration and deturgescence, the authors obviously favor the "vital" theory of Maurice, et al. They heartlessly dismiss the basic investiga tion of Cogan and Kinsey into this subject in a short half paragraph. Sections on the retina, vitreous, and aqueous follow, all of which are excellent. The final chapter is en titled "The ocular effects of nutritional dis ease" and this is rather a hodge-podge of unrelated conditions all discussed rather briefly. It adds little to the book. The pre ceding 277 pages, however, deserve careful perusal. This book is highly recommended to all ophthalmologists and its inexpensive format puts it in the "must" class for all residents and students. David Shoch. 1955. Vol ume 2. Edited By M. Einhorn, M.D., New York, N.Y. This journal, now in its 28th year, is bi lingual (Hebrew and English) ; and regularly features articles on the historic and social aspects of Jewish medicine. An article on the physician in Jewish law points out that the study of medicine enjoyed a religious sanc tion not granted to other secular branches of education. On the Sabbath the physician had the right to board a conveyance for visiting the sick, and medical books were exempted from the ban on reading secular literature on that day. The physician could also leave the house during the week of mourning to attend a patient. Jewish physicians in the 15th century were permitted to don the distinctive academic dress of the period, notwithstanding the general ban on adopting non-Jewish cus toms. James E. Lebensohn.
T H E HEBREW MEDICAL JOURNAL,
By Antoinette Pirie and Ruth van Heyningen, Spring field, Illinois, Charles C Thomas, 1956. 323 pages, index. Price: $7.00. A new text on the biochemistry of the eye has been eagerly awaited by the Englishspeaking ophthalmologic world. Both the monograph by Arlington Krause and Vol ume I of Duke-Elder are over 20 years old and totally new concepts in theory and tech nology in biochemistry have arisen since then. Adler's remarkable text is of necessity limited and the recent monograph by J. Nordmann, Le Biologic du Cristallin, is at present unavailable in either English or French. Pirie and van Heyningen have courage ously abandoned the time-honored anterior to posterior approach and devote the first 50 percent of their text to their primary
BIOCHEMISTRY OF THE EYE.
801
800
The Cambridge Research Unit reported that: "Visual alertness and concentration tend to inhibit normal blinking, which therefore would appear not to be a source of danger in driving unless something hap pens unexpectedly." Paul Miles stressed the need of good peripheral vision: "Seldom is an object first discovered by the fovea. Its image first falls on peripheral retina, attracts attention by brightness, color, or movement, then stim ulates fixation reflexes. . . . Visual reflexes are relatively slow. The simplest visual re flex in which a sudden peripheral stimulus starts an ocular fixation movement takes 0.15 second." All agreed that periodic visual re-exam inations should be done every three years. James E. Lebensohn. A
CLINICAL
STUDY
OF
CONCOMITANT
By Leon Coppez. Bulletin de la Societe beige d'ophtalmologie: Volume 112. Bruxelles Imprimerie medicale et scientifique, 67, Rue de l'orient. 120 pages. Price: Not listed. The purpose of this monograph was to outline the dominant aspects of the sympto matic and surgical treatment of concomitant squint in a condensed form and to exclude the paralytic elements. Details of the an atomy and physiology of the ocular muscles are omitted as they were previously ably discussed by Weekers and Daenen. The study was, therefore, restricted to the es sential facts of binocular vision, its disturb ances and abnormalities, the methods of investigation and interpretation of findings. Only those techniques which were found adequate by personal experience are de scribed. The plan and modes of investiga tion are chiefly presented in diagrams and tables. The favored surgical techniques are merely enumerated, as they were described in the report on paralytic squint in 1954. SQUINT.
The first section of the volume is devoted to diagnosis, a description of the different
stages of examination, description of the instruments in use, the interpretation of find ings, and a tentative classification of con comitant squint. A short survey of the etiology of concomitant strabismus is given in Chapter III and an equally short summary of heterophorias in Chapter VI. Chapters IV and V deal with procedures and the suc cessive steps in the handling of individual cases, timing, choice of operation, and a short description of the preferred techniques. The reasons for the good functional and cosmetic results in the early treatment of concomitant strabismus (that is before the age of six years) are analyzed. Special im portance is given to the recognition and elimination of abnormal correspondence be fore a fixed, permanent pattern of binocular vision has been established. It is stressed that the prognosis depends to a great extent on this crucial point. The clear descriptions, exact deductions and conclusions, as well as the practical clinical approach to the sub ject give this manual the didactic value for which it was primarily written. Alice R. Deutsch. MYIASIS DES AUGES : MEDICAL AND ENTO-
MOLOGIC PRINCIPLES. By
H.
Kriimmel
and A. Brauns. Berlin, Duncker & Humlot, 1956. 66 pages, 16 illustrations, bibli ography. Price: DM 16. Myiasis is the term applied to disturbances caused by larvae of flies in a living organ ism—man or vertebrates. The present mono graph is the result of the combined efforts of an ophthalmologist and an entomologist. In the first few chapters, ophthalmomyiasis is discussed with regard to clinical symp toms, diagnostic problems, and therapy. In their discussion, the authors follow Behr's classification into a relatively benign external and an almost always disastrous internal form. Histologic and clinical findings sug gest that the larvae take a transscleral route into the subretinal space or the vitre ous rather than a route via the anterior
BOOK REVIEWS
chamber to produce the internal form. It is stressed that ophthalmomyiasis frequently is a complication of a nasal form, with mi gration of the larvae into the orbit via the sphenoidal fissures. The second part of the volume deals with differential diagnosis of the larvae. Although it would be desirable to obtain a live larva and grow it into an imago, this is hardly ever feasible. There is a detailed description of the differential diagnosis of various species of larvae that should be of prime interest to the entomologist who, ideally, should co-operate with the ophthalmologist in evaluating every case of ophthalmomyia sis. The authors are mostly interested in the larvae of flies common to Central Europe. They append a comprehensive bibliography that should prove invaluable to anyone in terested in the subject. Stefan Van Wien.
interest, the lens. As might be expected this section is superb. A chapter on the cornea follows next and, in discussing hydration and deturgescence, the authors obviously favor the "vital" theory of Maurice, et al. They heartlessly dismiss the basic investiga tion of Cogan and Kinsey into this subject in a short half paragraph. Sections on the retina, vitreous, and aqueous follow, all of which are excellent. The final chapter is en titled "The ocular effects of nutritional dis ease" and this is rather a hodge-podge of unrelated conditions all discussed rather briefly. It adds little to the book. The pre ceding 277 pages, however, deserve careful perusal. This book is highly recommended to all ophthalmologists and its inexpensive format puts it in the "must" class for all residents and students. David Shoch. 1955. Vol ume 2. Edited By M. Einhorn, M.D., New York, N.Y. This journal, now in its 28th year, is bi lingual (Hebrew and English) ; and regularly features articles on the historic and social aspects of Jewish medicine. An article on the physician in Jewish law points out that the study of medicine enjoyed a religious sanc tion not granted to other secular branches of education. On the Sabbath the physician had the right to board a conveyance for visiting the sick, and medical books were exempted from the ban on reading secular literature on that day. The physician could also leave the house during the week of mourning to attend a patient. Jewish physicians in the 15th century were permitted to don the distinctive academic dress of the period, notwithstanding the general ban on adopting non-Jewish cus toms. James E. Lebensohn.
T H E HEBREW MEDICAL JOURNAL,
By Antoinette Pirie and Ruth van Heyningen, Spring field, Illinois, Charles C Thomas, 1956. 323 pages, index. Price: $7.00. A new text on the biochemistry of the eye has been eagerly awaited by the Englishspeaking ophthalmologic world. Both the monograph by Arlington Krause and Vol ume I of Duke-Elder are over 20 years old and totally new concepts in theory and tech nology in biochemistry have arisen since then. Adler's remarkable text is of necessity limited and the recent monograph by J. Nordmann, Le Biologic du Cristallin, is at present unavailable in either English or French. Pirie and van Heyningen have courage ously abandoned the time-honored anterior to posterior approach and devote the first 50 percent of their text to their primary
BIOCHEMISTRY OF THE EYE.
801