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Advisory Board for Medical Specialties
548
CORRESPONDENCE
hand "is of the utmost value in the treat ment of all kinds of superficial lesions of the eye; in deeper lesions action is less certain . . . it has no effect whatever on nebulae, nor does it appear to have any considerable bactericidal action upon the conjunctiva. Its effect appears good in tuberculous iritis." X-rays are found to be of value in a considerable number of conditions listed by the author but infrared rays are regarded as serving no therapeutic purpose in ophthalmic disorders. The author concludes that the claims made for the therapeutic value of ra dium in ophthalmic conditions, espe cially in America, are too diverse and too enthusiastic. Lawrence T. Post. CORRESPONDENCE Advisory Board for Medical Specialties In order to elevate the standards of ophthalmology, to improve the effi ciency of those claiming in their prac tice to be ophthalmologists and to standardize the training of eye special ists, the American Board for Ophthal mic Examinations was formed in 1915. It was the outgrowth of considerable study of committees named by the American Ophthalmological Society, the Section of Ophthalmology of the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Oto-Laryngology. This Board is the pioneer among the special boards to be formed. It consists of nine members, three from each of the component so cieties. Its members are chosen in the same manner as the presiding officers of the national societies and members can serve for no more than six years continuously. The Board's name was changed in 1933 to American Board of Ophthalmology to conform with the names of the other boards existing at that time. The other specialties which have already established boards are otolaryngology, obstetrics and gynecology, dermatology, pediatrics. There is now under consideration the formation of boards in radiology, orthopedics, anes thesia, urology, etc.
In 1932 there was organized an Ad visory Board for Medical Specialties whose purpose is to coordinate and co operate with the various official groups interested in postgraduate education of specialists and to bring about a stand ardization of methods and requirements for the certification of specialists. This Advisory Board is composed of repre sentatives from the following organiza tions : The American Hospital Associa tion ; the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States, the National Board of Medical Examiners, the American Board of Ophthalmology, the American Board of Oto-Laryngology, the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the American Board of Dermatology and Syphilology, and the American Board of Pediatrics. Examining boards in other specialties will be eligible to rep resentation when they meet certain re quirements. The officers, elected in February, 1934, at Chicago, are as follows: Presi dent, Dr. Louis B. Wilson, Rochester, Minnesota; Vice-President, Dr. J. S. Rodman, Philadelphia; Secretary and Treasurer, Dr. Paul Titus, Pittsburgh; Executive Committee: Dr. W m . P. Wherry, Omaha, and Dr. Walter B. Lancaster, Boston. One of the aims of this Advisory Board is to act in an advisory capacity on undergraduate education as well as graduate instruction in the various specialties represented; also it will as sist, the Council on Medical Education and Hospitals in investigating and list ing postgraduate facilities in America and to some degree abroad; it should thus be an important influence in effect ing general elevation of the standards of training and practice of the various specialties. It has been seriously suggested that the time will come when the various states will license physicians to practice as specialists and that the certificates of the various boards will be the basis of such licensure. One Canadian Province has already instituted licensure of all its specialists. It is intended that this Advisory
CORRESPONDENCE
Board for Medical Specialties will co operate with the Council on Medical Education and Hospitals of the Ameri can Medical Association. The next edi tion of the Directory of the American Medical Association has been designed to publish information about all accept ed special boards and will list conspicu ously in this directory the names of those specialists who have been found to be competent and who have received the certificate of such special boards. There are plans under advisement for a directory of all certificated persons and this directory will also list postgraduate training facilities, residencies, intern ships, etc., in the various specialties as well as the general qualifications for certification. A meeting of the Advisory Board will be held at Cleveland on Sunday, June 10, 1934, immediately prior to the an nual meeting of the American Medical Association. William H. Wilder, M.D. Secretary, American Board of Ophthalmology.
549
Bridle sutures in cataract extraction To the Editor: In the January number of the Ameri can Journal of Ophthalmology I read a note on the "Cataract Incision," with intense interest; in particular the part regarding "the tendency to push the eye around by the forward thrust." This leads me to call attention to something which I reported to the New England Ophthalmological Society about six months ago, and which I have been us ing now for about a year with a great deal of comfort. I commonly use a superior rectus bridle suture, held tense with a hemostat snapped to the head cap. With this I use an external rectus bridle suture, which is held tense by my assistant during the section. Some of my con freres say they can use the external rectus stitch alone, without the superior rectus suture. I find the eye does not roll and that no forceps are needed at all, and that my attention is wholly concentrated on the section, and "noth ing else intrudes upon the operator's mind." W. Holbrook Lowell.
CORRESPONDENCE
hand "is of the utmost value in the treat ment of all kinds of superficial lesions of the eye; in deeper lesions action is less certain . . . it has no effect whatever on nebulae, nor does it appear to have any considerable bactericidal action upon the conjunctiva. Its effect appears good in tuberculous iritis." X-rays are found to be of value in a considerable number of conditions listed by the author but infrared rays are regarded as serving no therapeutic purpose in ophthalmic disorders. The author concludes that the claims made for the therapeutic value of ra dium in ophthalmic conditions, espe cially in America, are too diverse and too enthusiastic. Lawrence T. Post. CORRESPONDENCE Advisory Board for Medical Specialties In order to elevate the standards of ophthalmology, to improve the effi ciency of those claiming in their prac tice to be ophthalmologists and to standardize the training of eye special ists, the American Board for Ophthal mic Examinations was formed in 1915. It was the outgrowth of considerable study of committees named by the American Ophthalmological Society, the Section of Ophthalmology of the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Oto-Laryngology. This Board is the pioneer among the special boards to be formed. It consists of nine members, three from each of the component so cieties. Its members are chosen in the same manner as the presiding officers of the national societies and members can serve for no more than six years continuously. The Board's name was changed in 1933 to American Board of Ophthalmology to conform with the names of the other boards existing at that time. The other specialties which have already established boards are otolaryngology, obstetrics and gynecology, dermatology, pediatrics. There is now under consideration the formation of boards in radiology, orthopedics, anes thesia, urology, etc.
In 1932 there was organized an Ad visory Board for Medical Specialties whose purpose is to coordinate and co operate with the various official groups interested in postgraduate education of specialists and to bring about a stand ardization of methods and requirements for the certification of specialists. This Advisory Board is composed of repre sentatives from the following organiza tions : The American Hospital Associa tion ; the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States, the National Board of Medical Examiners, the American Board of Ophthalmology, the American Board of Oto-Laryngology, the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the American Board of Dermatology and Syphilology, and the American Board of Pediatrics. Examining boards in other specialties will be eligible to rep resentation when they meet certain re quirements. The officers, elected in February, 1934, at Chicago, are as follows: Presi dent, Dr. Louis B. Wilson, Rochester, Minnesota; Vice-President, Dr. J. S. Rodman, Philadelphia; Secretary and Treasurer, Dr. Paul Titus, Pittsburgh; Executive Committee: Dr. W m . P. Wherry, Omaha, and Dr. Walter B. Lancaster, Boston. One of the aims of this Advisory Board is to act in an advisory capacity on undergraduate education as well as graduate instruction in the various specialties represented; also it will as sist, the Council on Medical Education and Hospitals in investigating and list ing postgraduate facilities in America and to some degree abroad; it should thus be an important influence in effect ing general elevation of the standards of training and practice of the various specialties. It has been seriously suggested that the time will come when the various states will license physicians to practice as specialists and that the certificates of the various boards will be the basis of such licensure. One Canadian Province has already instituted licensure of all its specialists. It is intended that this Advisory
CORRESPONDENCE
Board for Medical Specialties will co operate with the Council on Medical Education and Hospitals of the Ameri can Medical Association. The next edi tion of the Directory of the American Medical Association has been designed to publish information about all accept ed special boards and will list conspicu ously in this directory the names of those specialists who have been found to be competent and who have received the certificate of such special boards. There are plans under advisement for a directory of all certificated persons and this directory will also list postgraduate training facilities, residencies, intern ships, etc., in the various specialties as well as the general qualifications for certification. A meeting of the Advisory Board will be held at Cleveland on Sunday, June 10, 1934, immediately prior to the an nual meeting of the American Medical Association. William H. Wilder, M.D. Secretary, American Board of Ophthalmology.
549
Bridle sutures in cataract extraction To the Editor: In the January number of the Ameri can Journal of Ophthalmology I read a note on the "Cataract Incision," with intense interest; in particular the part regarding "the tendency to push the eye around by the forward thrust." This leads me to call attention to something which I reported to the New England Ophthalmological Society about six months ago, and which I have been us ing now for about a year with a great deal of comfort. I commonly use a superior rectus bridle suture, held tense with a hemostat snapped to the head cap. With this I use an external rectus bridle suture, which is held tense by my assistant during the section. Some of my con freres say they can use the external rectus stitch alone, without the superior rectus suture. I find the eye does not roll and that no forceps are needed at all, and that my attention is wholly concentrated on the section, and "noth ing else intrudes upon the operator's mind." W. Holbrook Lowell.