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Systemic Ophthalmology
877
CORRESPONDENCE sary procedures thereto . . . a subject on which he had been a frequent lecturer to the society at their annual meetings. This last piece of research included tables, graphs, and other data which would permit another surgeon to use quickly the results of his many years of research. It is possible that extreme overwork in completing this thesis hastened his untimely death; it is sure that the work will remain a monument to the zeal, intelligence, and skill with which he served his fellow men. Dr. George Haeberle Stine is survived by his wife, Mrs. Laurie L. Stine, his son, G. Harry Stine, a senior at Colorado College, and his daughter, Barbara, Mrs. Dan C. Gates of Denver. Robert A. Heinlein.
CORRESPONDENCE HYDROSULPHOSOL
IN
CHEMICAL
INJURIES
Editor,
BOOK REVIEWS A SYNOPSIS OF OPHTHALMOLOGY. By J.
L.
C. Martin-Doyle. Clothbound, 238 pages. Baltimore, The Williams and Wilkins Company, 1951. Price: $4.50. This is a surprisingly interesting and ade quate synopsis of ophthalmology for stu dent use. Most of the important elements, and probably all that a medical student needs to know about ophthalmology, are presented. The sections are similar to those in most textbooks. One might hope for a little more about the ocular signs of general disease and the value of a knowledge of ophthalmology to those not in the ophthalmic specialty. Sur gery is rightly skimmed over most briefly. I think this might prove a substitute for larger textbooks in medical schools where few hours are allotted to ophthalmology. Lawrence T. Post.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY :
In answer to a personal communication directed to you from Hedwig S. Kuhn, M.D., I wish to correct, for the benefit of other readers who may have been similarly confused, a possible misinterpretation of a phrase in the conclusion of my article "Hydrosulphosol in chemical burns," pub lished in the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF O P H THALMOLOGY, January, 1952.
The phrase reads: "It encourages a false sense of security brought about by the mis quoted claims that harmful chemicals are neutralized." At no time, to my knowledge, has Dr. Kuhn, or the other proponents of this medi cation, claimed that chemicals are neutralized by this drug. There has, however, been a misunderstanding or a confusion by some ophthalmologists pertaining to the functions of the drug and it is this situation to which I refer as "misquoted claims." My apologies are offered for my unfor tunate choice of words. (Signed) Ralph S. McLaughlin, Charleston, West Virginia.
OPHTHALMOLOGY. Edited by Arnold Sorsby. St. Louis, the C. V. Mosby Company, 1951. 712 pages, 345 illustrations, including 37 plates in color, index, references. Price: $15.00. The author, research professor in oph thalmology, Royal College of Surgeons in England, is widely known for his many previous excellent publications in the field of ophthalmology. In this new and im portant treatise, he has had the expert as sistance of 32 authoritative collaborators from the United States and Great Britain. SYSTEMIC
There has been a great need among oph thalmologists for a work of this kind as evidenced to our sorrow by the poor show ing the candidates for the American Board of Ophthalmology examinations make on the subject of medical ophthalmology and gen eral medicine. The study of this book by them and, for that matter, by all of us will be of great value to our patients and to our selves. Previous books on this subject—for example, by Arnold Knapp (1918) and by R. Foster Moore (1922)—have long been
BOOK REVIEWS
878
out of date and the busy student in ophthal mology has had no ready volume of up-todate information to refer to. There are six parts: Part I, prenatal pathogenic influences with four chapters; part II, inflammation, allergic reactions and infections, with nine chapters; part III, nu tritional, metabolic, and endocrine disturb ances, with three chapters; part IV, central nervous system, with two chapters; part V, cardiovascular and hemopoietic systems, two chapters; part VI, other general disturb ances, with five chapters covering dermatoses, maternal and neonatal disorders, physical and chemical agents and metastases, senescence, and death. One can thus see at a glance the broad field of medicine covered by this work. When there are so many collaborators, there is bound to be a certain spottiness and roughness of presentation and some over lapping. The book is not meant to be studied as a continuous film of medicine and oph thalmology unrolling before our eyes. It is preferable to read and ponder over each part and chapter separately and individually. There are many places where one could profit by the additional study of the litera ture mentioned in the references, for each subject obviously cannot be exhaustively covered in a work of three times this size. Thus this work is not an encyclopedia, al though it is very much more than a guide. It is well printed and illustrated as is customary to find in books published by Butter worth of London and Mosby of St. Louis. The editor, collaborators, and pub lishers deserve the gratitute of all ophthal mologists for this effort. Derrick Vail. NEW
VIEWPOINTS
ON
THE
ORIGIN
OF
SQUINT. By G. B. J. Keiner. The Hague, Netherlands, Martinus Nijhoff, 1951. Cloth binding, 222 pages, 35 tables and graphs. The theories of squint reviewed by Keiner include the mechanical theory of
Nordlow and Scobee, the refraction theory of Donders, the fusion theory of Worth, Van der Hoeve's theory (in which he postu lates that the problem of strabismus is the problem of the position of the eyes in re spect to each other), the reflex theory of Zeeman, the innervation theory of Duane. Keiner then proceeds to describe his own theory based on Zeeman's views with a study of 894 cases of squint, 514 of which were in children under two years of age. He asks that his readers try to forget—even if only for a few hours—their traditionally acquired knowledge. After his study, which included infants from the birth room to older children, he states that all children are born with a po tentiality to squint and an almost total dis sociation of the two eyes, that congenital squint does not exist, that strabismus cannot occur until the light stimulus is able, in connection with the stage of development of reflex paths, to produce a motor effect; strabismus develops at a very early age. The greatest frequency of its appearance is in the first six months. In 54 percent of cases, the strabismus is evident at the end of the first year and in 78 percent at the end of the second year. After this, the frequency drops off rapidly, only occasionally does a case appear after the sixth year. The developmental process of the lightreflex reactions, which is the process of directing and coupling of the eyes, begins shortly after birth, and reaches its greatest activity at the end of the first six months and is usually complete by 18 months. The optomotor reflexes gradually becoming manifest are correlated with the anatomic and functional development of the central nervous system and the eye. These reflexes prepare the ground and introduce correcting and normalizing processes. The directing and coupling process reaches its first climax in peripheral fusion and leads to the estab lishment of the central conjunction based upon simultaneous stimulation of the
CORRESPONDENCE sary procedures thereto . . . a subject on which he had been a frequent lecturer to the society at their annual meetings. This last piece of research included tables, graphs, and other data which would permit another surgeon to use quickly the results of his many years of research. It is possible that extreme overwork in completing this thesis hastened his untimely death; it is sure that the work will remain a monument to the zeal, intelligence, and skill with which he served his fellow men. Dr. George Haeberle Stine is survived by his wife, Mrs. Laurie L. Stine, his son, G. Harry Stine, a senior at Colorado College, and his daughter, Barbara, Mrs. Dan C. Gates of Denver. Robert A. Heinlein.
CORRESPONDENCE HYDROSULPHOSOL
IN
CHEMICAL
INJURIES
Editor,
BOOK REVIEWS A SYNOPSIS OF OPHTHALMOLOGY. By J.
L.
C. Martin-Doyle. Clothbound, 238 pages. Baltimore, The Williams and Wilkins Company, 1951. Price: $4.50. This is a surprisingly interesting and ade quate synopsis of ophthalmology for stu dent use. Most of the important elements, and probably all that a medical student needs to know about ophthalmology, are presented. The sections are similar to those in most textbooks. One might hope for a little more about the ocular signs of general disease and the value of a knowledge of ophthalmology to those not in the ophthalmic specialty. Sur gery is rightly skimmed over most briefly. I think this might prove a substitute for larger textbooks in medical schools where few hours are allotted to ophthalmology. Lawrence T. Post.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY :
In answer to a personal communication directed to you from Hedwig S. Kuhn, M.D., I wish to correct, for the benefit of other readers who may have been similarly confused, a possible misinterpretation of a phrase in the conclusion of my article "Hydrosulphosol in chemical burns," pub lished in the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF O P H THALMOLOGY, January, 1952.
The phrase reads: "It encourages a false sense of security brought about by the mis quoted claims that harmful chemicals are neutralized." At no time, to my knowledge, has Dr. Kuhn, or the other proponents of this medi cation, claimed that chemicals are neutralized by this drug. There has, however, been a misunderstanding or a confusion by some ophthalmologists pertaining to the functions of the drug and it is this situation to which I refer as "misquoted claims." My apologies are offered for my unfor tunate choice of words. (Signed) Ralph S. McLaughlin, Charleston, West Virginia.
OPHTHALMOLOGY. Edited by Arnold Sorsby. St. Louis, the C. V. Mosby Company, 1951. 712 pages, 345 illustrations, including 37 plates in color, index, references. Price: $15.00. The author, research professor in oph thalmology, Royal College of Surgeons in England, is widely known for his many previous excellent publications in the field of ophthalmology. In this new and im portant treatise, he has had the expert as sistance of 32 authoritative collaborators from the United States and Great Britain. SYSTEMIC
There has been a great need among oph thalmologists for a work of this kind as evidenced to our sorrow by the poor show ing the candidates for the American Board of Ophthalmology examinations make on the subject of medical ophthalmology and gen eral medicine. The study of this book by them and, for that matter, by all of us will be of great value to our patients and to our selves. Previous books on this subject—for example, by Arnold Knapp (1918) and by R. Foster Moore (1922)—have long been
BOOK REVIEWS
878
out of date and the busy student in ophthal mology has had no ready volume of up-todate information to refer to. There are six parts: Part I, prenatal pathogenic influences with four chapters; part II, inflammation, allergic reactions and infections, with nine chapters; part III, nu tritional, metabolic, and endocrine disturb ances, with three chapters; part IV, central nervous system, with two chapters; part V, cardiovascular and hemopoietic systems, two chapters; part VI, other general disturb ances, with five chapters covering dermatoses, maternal and neonatal disorders, physical and chemical agents and metastases, senescence, and death. One can thus see at a glance the broad field of medicine covered by this work. When there are so many collaborators, there is bound to be a certain spottiness and roughness of presentation and some over lapping. The book is not meant to be studied as a continuous film of medicine and oph thalmology unrolling before our eyes. It is preferable to read and ponder over each part and chapter separately and individually. There are many places where one could profit by the additional study of the litera ture mentioned in the references, for each subject obviously cannot be exhaustively covered in a work of three times this size. Thus this work is not an encyclopedia, al though it is very much more than a guide. It is well printed and illustrated as is customary to find in books published by Butter worth of London and Mosby of St. Louis. The editor, collaborators, and pub lishers deserve the gratitute of all ophthal mologists for this effort. Derrick Vail. NEW
VIEWPOINTS
ON
THE
ORIGIN
OF
SQUINT. By G. B. J. Keiner. The Hague, Netherlands, Martinus Nijhoff, 1951. Cloth binding, 222 pages, 35 tables and graphs. The theories of squint reviewed by Keiner include the mechanical theory of
Nordlow and Scobee, the refraction theory of Donders, the fusion theory of Worth, Van der Hoeve's theory (in which he postu lates that the problem of strabismus is the problem of the position of the eyes in re spect to each other), the reflex theory of Zeeman, the innervation theory of Duane. Keiner then proceeds to describe his own theory based on Zeeman's views with a study of 894 cases of squint, 514 of which were in children under two years of age. He asks that his readers try to forget—even if only for a few hours—their traditionally acquired knowledge. After his study, which included infants from the birth room to older children, he states that all children are born with a po tentiality to squint and an almost total dis sociation of the two eyes, that congenital squint does not exist, that strabismus cannot occur until the light stimulus is able, in connection with the stage of development of reflex paths, to produce a motor effect; strabismus develops at a very early age. The greatest frequency of its appearance is in the first six months. In 54 percent of cases, the strabismus is evident at the end of the first year and in 78 percent at the end of the second year. After this, the frequency drops off rapidly, only occasionally does a case appear after the sixth year. The developmental process of the lightreflex reactions, which is the process of directing and coupling of the eyes, begins shortly after birth, and reaches its greatest activity at the end of the first six months and is usually complete by 18 months. The optomotor reflexes gradually becoming manifest are correlated with the anatomic and functional development of the central nervous system and the eye. These reflexes prepare the ground and introduce correcting and normalizing processes. The directing and coupling process reaches its first climax in peripheral fusion and leads to the estab lishment of the central conjunction based upon simultaneous stimulation of the