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Festschrift für Friedrich Dimmer
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EDITORIALS
Franchise d'Ophtalmologie came into being in 1887; and has pursued a broad policy that made it representative of French speaking ophthalmologists thruout the world. The Sociedad Oftalmologica Hispano-Americanos recognized in the name it adopted, at its organization about 30 years ago, the needs of Spanish speak ing ophthalmologists in America, as well as Europe. The Societa di Oftalmologia di Italia, established in 1889, represents the ophthalmologists of Italy in the broadest national sense. There are many other national or ganizations the relations of which are illustrated by those mentioned. In brief, thruout the world there are or ganizations national, or with a broader membership, on which the organiza tion for the holding of international congresses and other forms of inter national cooperation should logically rest. The committee authorized by the London meeting is to extend the invitation to the various national bodies representative of ophthalmolo gists, to take part in the discussion and we hope formation, of the best repre sentative international body that can be devised, to bring about the most ef fective cooperation of all who are de voting their time and energies to the development and practice of ophthal mology. As became evident in the discussion regarding this movement (British Journal of Ophthalmology, v. 9, p. 458) the members of the London Conven tion realized "That if a body of dele gates representing different national ophthalmologic societies could be formed, there were other matters which might be referred to it for consideration, besides the reestablishment of international con gresses." It is desirable that the members of the committee named be informed of siuch matters by "individual ophthalmolo gists who see their importance; so that in forming an international organization there may be the best possible under standing of what such an organization might do, and the best adaptation of it to the accomplishment of desirable practical results. E. J.
COMPENSATION FOR EYE INJURIES In 1919 a committee on compensa tion for eye injuries was appointed by the Section on Ophthalmology of the American Medical Association. This body, composed of Drs. Nelson M. Black, Albert C. Snell, James Patton, and Harry S. Gradle, has presented an exceedingly concise and practicable plan which was approved and unani mously adopted by the Ophthalmic Section of the American Medical As sociation and later by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and OtoLaryngology. In such a complicated matter, it would be impossible to satisfy every one entirely, i u t there is so much need for an immediate solution of the prob lem of compensation and for uniform ity of state laws in this particular, that it is hoped that every ophthalmologist will support this report even tho it does not conform in all particulars to his ideas. No group has studied this subject more carefully than this com mittee and no better suggestions than these have been made. The adoption of the report by the state medical societies is the prelimi nary to its incorporation in the state laws. It is, therefore, urged that this matter be considered by each state medical society and the recommenda tions of the committee adopted. Thus sponsored, it should be possible to se cure the favorable action of the state legislatures and a definite advance will have been made in solving the ques tion of compensation. L. T. P. BOOK NOTICES. Festschrift fur Friedrich Dimmer. Band 57, Zeitschrift fur Augenheilkunde. Paper, 8vo., 640 pages, 21 plates and many figures in the test. Berlin, S. Karger, 1925. This volume, dedicated to the cele bration of Prof. Dimmer's seventieth birthday, Nov. 7, 1925, by his col leagues, friends, and pupils, includes 42 papers, of solid scientific value, by 41 different authors, most of them of high rank in the literature of ophthal-
BOOK NOTICES
mology. T h e first two papers are by E. Fuchs. Rarely has it been the for tune of the recipient of such an honor to have the first two papers of his Memorial Volume from the pen of his immediate predecessor, who retired from this clinic four and one-half years before. The other papers are grouped under the headings of the 11 different clinics with which their authors are con nected: T h e University Eye Clinic of Innsbruck, Prof. Seef elder, director; The University Eye Clinic of Graz, headed by Prof. Salzmann; the First University Eye Clinic of Vienna under Prof. Meller, 11 contributors; Prof. Dimmer's own University Eye Clinic, 7 contributors; the Wiener Hospital, Vienna, Prof. Sachs; The Lainzer Jubilee Hospital, Vienna, Prof. Lauber; T h e Rudolph Hospital, Vienna, Dr. H a n k e ; the Vienna General Polyclinic, Dr. Lindner; the Franz Joseph Jubilee Hospital, Vienna, Dr. Hirsch; The District Hospital of Klagenfurt, Dr. Purtscher; the University Eye Clinic of Zagreb, Yugoslavia, Director Prof. Botteri; and one from Dr. Baer of Meran. This volume is the work of the Vienna School; but it is still the great est school of ophthalmology in the world, and has rallied nobly to honor one of its great leaders. T h e school that would rival or surpass it must lay broad foundations of scientific re search, raise high ideals of teaching service, and manifest mutual loyalty, and unselfish devotion to long years of labor, only requited by the conscious ness of great achievement. The titles of the papers included in this volume will be found arranged ac cording to their respective topics in "Current Literature." The papers of the elder Fuchs, Salzmann, Meller and Seefelder will be read by their ad mirers with familiar interest and profit. Those of Hesse, Bachstez, Kraemer, Guist, Pillat, Sachs, Lauber, Hanke, Hirsch, Purtscher and Baer will add to their established reputations. The younger Fuchs has gracefully linked the names of Haab and Dimmer with grill like degeneration of the cornea;
136
and Karl Lindner speaks with author ity of the difficulties of trachoma inves tigations—difficulties which he more than any one else has overcome. The frontispiece is a reproduction of a photograph portrait of Dimmer. The 21 plates include 9 in colors, and all are of general interest and permanent value. Among them appear, in con nection with the paper of Hesse, pho tography of the fundus, in the perfect ing of which Dimmer's work was most important. The papers and presswork of this volume come up to pre war standards. It is a matter for re joicing that the German custom of is suing such Jubilee volumes has sur vived the w a r ; and that such splendid specimens, as that for Fuchs and this for Dimmer, have been put forth amid the difficulties of the postwar period. It augurs well for the vitality and pres tige of science, that this has been pos sible. E. J. Lefthandedness. A New Interpreta tion. Beaufort Sims Parson. Cloth, 12mo., 193 pages, 10 illus trations, New York. T h e Macmillan Co., 1924. The "foreword" to this book is by Harvey E. Jordan, A. M., Ph. D., Prof. of Histology and Embryology in the University of Virginia, who says: "The righthanded individual is almost invariably also rightlegged, and pos sesses greater acuity of sight and hearing on the right side. T h e lefthanded individual is characterized gen erally by the reverse condition." To what extent and in what sense is it true, that the righthanded possess greater acuity of sight on the right side? This is a subject worthy of in vestigation. T h e interpretation of left handedness which is here offered is, that it arises from the economy of ef fort made possible with the grouping of the effective brain centers—the dominant centers—as closely together as possible; and that in this it is the eye that directs the hand. To quote Parson's own words: "Now in addition to the duplicate faculties which characterize all bi lateral forms, man has developed cer-
EDITORIALS
Franchise d'Ophtalmologie came into being in 1887; and has pursued a broad policy that made it representative of French speaking ophthalmologists thruout the world. The Sociedad Oftalmologica Hispano-Americanos recognized in the name it adopted, at its organization about 30 years ago, the needs of Spanish speak ing ophthalmologists in America, as well as Europe. The Societa di Oftalmologia di Italia, established in 1889, represents the ophthalmologists of Italy in the broadest national sense. There are many other national or ganizations the relations of which are illustrated by those mentioned. In brief, thruout the world there are or ganizations national, or with a broader membership, on which the organiza tion for the holding of international congresses and other forms of inter national cooperation should logically rest. The committee authorized by the London meeting is to extend the invitation to the various national bodies representative of ophthalmolo gists, to take part in the discussion and we hope formation, of the best repre sentative international body that can be devised, to bring about the most ef fective cooperation of all who are de voting their time and energies to the development and practice of ophthal mology. As became evident in the discussion regarding this movement (British Journal of Ophthalmology, v. 9, p. 458) the members of the London Conven tion realized "That if a body of dele gates representing different national ophthalmologic societies could be formed, there were other matters which might be referred to it for consideration, besides the reestablishment of international con gresses." It is desirable that the members of the committee named be informed of siuch matters by "individual ophthalmolo gists who see their importance; so that in forming an international organization there may be the best possible under standing of what such an organization might do, and the best adaptation of it to the accomplishment of desirable practical results. E. J.
COMPENSATION FOR EYE INJURIES In 1919 a committee on compensa tion for eye injuries was appointed by the Section on Ophthalmology of the American Medical Association. This body, composed of Drs. Nelson M. Black, Albert C. Snell, James Patton, and Harry S. Gradle, has presented an exceedingly concise and practicable plan which was approved and unani mously adopted by the Ophthalmic Section of the American Medical As sociation and later by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and OtoLaryngology. In such a complicated matter, it would be impossible to satisfy every one entirely, i u t there is so much need for an immediate solution of the prob lem of compensation and for uniform ity of state laws in this particular, that it is hoped that every ophthalmologist will support this report even tho it does not conform in all particulars to his ideas. No group has studied this subject more carefully than this com mittee and no better suggestions than these have been made. The adoption of the report by the state medical societies is the prelimi nary to its incorporation in the state laws. It is, therefore, urged that this matter be considered by each state medical society and the recommenda tions of the committee adopted. Thus sponsored, it should be possible to se cure the favorable action of the state legislatures and a definite advance will have been made in solving the ques tion of compensation. L. T. P. BOOK NOTICES. Festschrift fur Friedrich Dimmer. Band 57, Zeitschrift fur Augenheilkunde. Paper, 8vo., 640 pages, 21 plates and many figures in the test. Berlin, S. Karger, 1925. This volume, dedicated to the cele bration of Prof. Dimmer's seventieth birthday, Nov. 7, 1925, by his col leagues, friends, and pupils, includes 42 papers, of solid scientific value, by 41 different authors, most of them of high rank in the literature of ophthal-
BOOK NOTICES
mology. T h e first two papers are by E. Fuchs. Rarely has it been the for tune of the recipient of such an honor to have the first two papers of his Memorial Volume from the pen of his immediate predecessor, who retired from this clinic four and one-half years before. The other papers are grouped under the headings of the 11 different clinics with which their authors are con nected: T h e University Eye Clinic of Innsbruck, Prof. Seef elder, director; The University Eye Clinic of Graz, headed by Prof. Salzmann; the First University Eye Clinic of Vienna under Prof. Meller, 11 contributors; Prof. Dimmer's own University Eye Clinic, 7 contributors; the Wiener Hospital, Vienna, Prof. Sachs; The Lainzer Jubilee Hospital, Vienna, Prof. Lauber; T h e Rudolph Hospital, Vienna, Dr. H a n k e ; the Vienna General Polyclinic, Dr. Lindner; the Franz Joseph Jubilee Hospital, Vienna, Dr. Hirsch; The District Hospital of Klagenfurt, Dr. Purtscher; the University Eye Clinic of Zagreb, Yugoslavia, Director Prof. Botteri; and one from Dr. Baer of Meran. This volume is the work of the Vienna School; but it is still the great est school of ophthalmology in the world, and has rallied nobly to honor one of its great leaders. T h e school that would rival or surpass it must lay broad foundations of scientific re search, raise high ideals of teaching service, and manifest mutual loyalty, and unselfish devotion to long years of labor, only requited by the conscious ness of great achievement. The titles of the papers included in this volume will be found arranged ac cording to their respective topics in "Current Literature." The papers of the elder Fuchs, Salzmann, Meller and Seefelder will be read by their ad mirers with familiar interest and profit. Those of Hesse, Bachstez, Kraemer, Guist, Pillat, Sachs, Lauber, Hanke, Hirsch, Purtscher and Baer will add to their established reputations. The younger Fuchs has gracefully linked the names of Haab and Dimmer with grill like degeneration of the cornea;
136
and Karl Lindner speaks with author ity of the difficulties of trachoma inves tigations—difficulties which he more than any one else has overcome. The frontispiece is a reproduction of a photograph portrait of Dimmer. The 21 plates include 9 in colors, and all are of general interest and permanent value. Among them appear, in con nection with the paper of Hesse, pho tography of the fundus, in the perfect ing of which Dimmer's work was most important. The papers and presswork of this volume come up to pre war standards. It is a matter for re joicing that the German custom of is suing such Jubilee volumes has sur vived the w a r ; and that such splendid specimens, as that for Fuchs and this for Dimmer, have been put forth amid the difficulties of the postwar period. It augurs well for the vitality and pres tige of science, that this has been pos sible. E. J. Lefthandedness. A New Interpreta tion. Beaufort Sims Parson. Cloth, 12mo., 193 pages, 10 illus trations, New York. T h e Macmillan Co., 1924. The "foreword" to this book is by Harvey E. Jordan, A. M., Ph. D., Prof. of Histology and Embryology in the University of Virginia, who says: "The righthanded individual is almost invariably also rightlegged, and pos sesses greater acuity of sight and hearing on the right side. T h e lefthanded individual is characterized gen erally by the reverse condition." To what extent and in what sense is it true, that the righthanded possess greater acuity of sight on the right side? This is a subject worthy of in vestigation. T h e interpretation of left handedness which is here offered is, that it arises from the economy of ef fort made possible with the grouping of the effective brain centers—the dominant centers—as closely together as possible; and that in this it is the eye that directs the hand. To quote Parson's own words: "Now in addition to the duplicate faculties which characterize all bi lateral forms, man has developed cer-