XVII International Congress

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY Published

Monthly

by the Ophthalmic

Publishing

Company

EDITORIAL STAFF DERRICK V A I L ,

J A M E S E. L E B E N S O H N

Editor-in-Chief

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700 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago 11 LAWRENCE T . POST, Consulting

DONALD J. L Y L E

Editor

601 Union Trust Building, Cincinnati 2

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W I L L I A M A. M A N N

W I L L I A M L. BENEDICT

P . ROBB MCDONALD

30 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago 2

640 South Kingshighway, Saint Louis 10 100 First Avenue Building, Rochester,

1930 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia 3

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FREDERICK C. CORDES

FRANK W . NEWELL

S I R STEWART D U K E - E L D E R

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M. U R I B E TRONCOSO

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A L A N C. WOODS

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Directors: WILLIAM L. BENEDICT, President; FREDERICK C. CORDES, Vice-President; WILLIAM A. MANN, Secretary and Treasurer; F. HERBERT HAESSLER, DERRICK VAIL, ALAN C. WOODS.

Address original papers, other scientific communications including correspondence, also books for review to Dr. Derrick Vail, 700 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago 11, Illinois; Society Proceedings to Mrs. Katherina F. Chalkley, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Manuscripts should be original copies, typed in double space, with wide margins. Exchange copies of medical journals should be sent to Dr. F. Herbert Haessler, 561 North 15th Street, Milwaukee 3, Wisconsin. Subscriptions, application for single copies, notices of changes of address, and communications with reference to advertising should be addressed to the Manager of Subscriptions and Advertising, 664 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago 11, Illinois. Copy of advertisements must be sent to the manager by the 15th of the month preceding its appearance. Change of address notice should be received not later than the 15th of the month prior to the issue for which the change is to go into effect. Both old and new addresses should be given. Author's proofs should be corrected and returned within forty-eight hours to the Manuscript Editor, Mrs. Katherine F. Chalkley, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Twenty-five reprints of each article will be sup­ plied to the author without charge. Additional reprints may be obtained from the printer, the George Banta Publishing Company, 450-458 'Ahnaip Street, Menasha, Wisconsin, if ordered at the time proofs are returned. But reprints to contain colored plates must be ordered when the article is accepted. XVII

INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS T h e final touches on the program of the X V I I International Congress of Ophthal­ mology have been made, a n d the picture stands out as the most complete coverage of ophthalmology that has ever been at­ tempted. Extensive technical a n d scientific exhibits from home a n d abroad a r e spread over the rooms adjacent to the Grand Ball­ room a n d the room where motion pictures will be exhibited every afternoon, Monday

through Friday. Televised eye clinics from the N e w Y o r k E y e a n d E a r Infirmary will be shown in the Grand Ballroom every af­ ternoon, Tuesday through Friday. A t scien­ tific sessions, morning and afternoon, ap­ proximately 200 papers will be presented and discussed, mostly clinical, of interest to every practitioner of ophthalmology in the world. All papers a r e abstracted in English, French, a n d Spanish. M o r e than 80 percent of. them will be read in English. More than

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EDITORIALS

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500 oculists from abroad have registered in advance, and all continents are represented. Three thousand American ophthalmologists are expected to register for this, the most comprehensive congress of ophthalmology ever held, all under one roof. Hotel space is not a problem. William L. Benedict. T H E J U N E MEETINGS Ophthalmologists attending the 1954 meet­ ings of the American Medical Association, the Association for Research in Ophthal­ mology, and the American Ophthalmological Society were rewarded with a wide variety of interesting scientific papers, frequent vig­ orous discussions, and many pleasant exchanges of clinical experience. At the con­ clusion of two weeks of travel, much west­ ern hospitality, and many meetings, almost everyone was prepared for a vacation or a rest at home. Some 60 papers were presented at the three meetings and they represented the best of ophthalmic study and experimen­ tation during the past year. The 90th annual meeting of the American Ophthalmological Society was held at Glacier National Park, June 16th, 17th, and 18th, under the presidency of William L. Bene­ dict. The members and guests were rewarded for their long journey with unforgettable views of snow-capped peaks, mountain lakes, and the rugged grandeur of the Rockies. The following day, they awakened to a snow storm, which continued intermittently the re­ mainder of the meeting. Indoor activities before the giant fireplaces proved more at­ tractive to most than going outside, as some saw the worst winter in years. The program was unusually interesting, with the papers stimulating a free and occa­ sionally vigorous exchange of ideas. The Howe Medal was awarded to John H. Dunnington, director of the Institute of Ophthalmology of Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University, for his proficiency as a physician, teacher, researcher, and admin­

istrator. The affection and respect in which he is held was mirrored in the applause which followed the announcement of the award. Everett L. Goar was elected president and Alan C. Woods vice-president. Maynard C. Wheeler and Gordon Bruce were reelected secretary and editor, respectively. The next meeting will be held at the Greenbrier at White Sulfur Springs June 2, 3, and 4, 1955. The scientific assembly of the American Medical Association met in San Francisco June 21st to 25th and the successful joint meeting of the Section on Ophthalmology and the Association for Research was con­ tinued. This union of basic and applied studies yields more interesting meetings an­ nually and an unusually large number at­ tended. The microphone was used for all dis­ cussions and replies and there was a com­ plete absence of colloquies between the speaker and those near by, which was a delightful and long-awaited innovation. The weather in San Francisco was pleas­ ant and the scenic and dining attractions numerous, so that every minute was filled. Approximately 220 scientific and 300 com­ mercial exhibits competed for attention. Wil­ liam F. Hughes and his committee selected eight exhibits in ophthalmology and many studies in other sections were of ophthalmic interest. A certificate of merit was awarded to Aleta N. Barber, G. N. Ronstrom, and R. J. Muelling, Jr., of Louisiana State Uni­ versity for their exhibit of "Development of the visual pathway in humans." Honorable mention went to David O. Harrington and Milton Flocks of the University of Cali­ fornia and Fort Miley Veterans Adminis­ tration Hospital for "The multiple-pattern method of visual-field examination." Dr. Trygve Gundersen, in the chairman's address, pleaded for the prevention of vis­ ual loss by routine tonometry in all patients past 40 years of age and by routine visual acuity measurement in children, beginning at the age of three years. Dr. Arthur J. Be-