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Hebrew Medical Journal
BOOK REVIEWS
a notable book on New Viewpoints on the Origin of Squint, but lamentably passed away in 1954 before the publication o f this volume. The authors consider that the optomotor reflexes, monocular and conjugated, have evolved from postural reflexes. " M o v e ments o f contours over the retina become a conditioned reflex which is grafted onto and calibrated by the proprioceptive reflex and, like the latter, tends to maintain the original position o f the eyes in the orbit." T h e con jugated optomotor reflexes are in turn grafted onto and calibrated by the vestibular reflexes. T h e gaze tonus is also maintained by subcortical nonoptical stimuli—vestibular and musculo-sensory. Since a pendular nys tagmus is usually present in both daylight and darkness, the optomotor reflexes ap parently influence the nonoptical gaze tonus. Pendular nystagmus is associated with in sufficient development o f both monocular and conjugated optomotor reflexes, but the latter is predominantly the most involved. T h e extent to which the optical fixation tonus is disturbed can be satisfactorily judged by the degree o f terminal-position nystagmus, the reaction to optokinetic stim ulation with monocular and binocular vision and the weak fusion amplitude. In this re spect the detailed analyses o f 55 patients with various types o f ocular nystagmus is most illuminating. Optomotor stimuli form the basis o f opti cal localization and hence o f visual acuity. P o o r visual acuity, alternating hyperphoria, strabismus, or abnormal correspondence may develop as a consequence o f disturbed m o nocular optomotor reflexes. Asymmetric be havior o f the eyes in binocular gaze on turn ing to the right and left indicates asymmetric development o f the optomotor reflexes. In latent nystagmus there is a fixation tonus from each eye in the dirction o f the other eye. Hence the eyes are still when both are open. The primary developmental disturbance in the optical fixation paths which causes this jerking nystagmus is probably in the area striata and its immediate neighborhood. James E . Lebensohn.
HEBREW
915 MEDICAL JOURNAL,
1. Edited by M . Einhorn, York.
1955, V o l u m e M.D., New
This semiannual journal, n o w in its 28th year o f continuous publication, features es pecially sundry historic aspects o f medicine. Dr. A . Levinson o f Chicago emphasizes the beneficial influence o f Maimonides in influ encing popular medical conceptions. Maimon ides condemned amulets and superstitious remedies. Although he was unaware o f the harmful bacteria that water may contain, Maimonides did k n o w that boiling water made it safe for drinking; and because o f this the Jews o f the Middle A g e s escaped the devastating epidemics then current. James E. Lebensohn.
PHARMACODYNAMIC
POTENTIALIZATION IN
B y Joaquin Barraquer Moner, M . D . , Barcelona, Barraquer Insti tute, 1955. 293 pages, 59 illustrations and an 11-page bibliography. ( I t is written in Spanish, but includes French and English translations.) P r i c e : N o t listed. This monograph deals with the use o f small doses o f several drugs, such as those that block the sympathetic and parasympa thetic nerves, together with hypnotics, curare, and other drugs that are given intravenously to produce local and general analgesia and akinesia. OPHTHALMOLOGY.
B y this method the author reports that deep sedation with muscular relaxation is obtained. T h e reflexes are not all abolished and the patient is conscious. T h e blood pres sure is lowered, metabolism is reduced; and there is complete postoperative amnesia. A state o f hibernation is produced. Complications, such as vitreous loss and hemorrhage, in a series o f cataract extrac tions were greatly reduced when using this method as compared with a similar series o f extractions in which local anesthesia and aki nesia were used. T h e method is one that deserves careful consideration. Walter S. Atkinson.
a notable book on New Viewpoints on the Origin of Squint, but lamentably passed away in 1954 before the publication o f this volume. The authors consider that the optomotor reflexes, monocular and conjugated, have evolved from postural reflexes. " M o v e ments o f contours over the retina become a conditioned reflex which is grafted onto and calibrated by the proprioceptive reflex and, like the latter, tends to maintain the original position o f the eyes in the orbit." T h e con jugated optomotor reflexes are in turn grafted onto and calibrated by the vestibular reflexes. T h e gaze tonus is also maintained by subcortical nonoptical stimuli—vestibular and musculo-sensory. Since a pendular nys tagmus is usually present in both daylight and darkness, the optomotor reflexes ap parently influence the nonoptical gaze tonus. Pendular nystagmus is associated with in sufficient development o f both monocular and conjugated optomotor reflexes, but the latter is predominantly the most involved. T h e extent to which the optical fixation tonus is disturbed can be satisfactorily judged by the degree o f terminal-position nystagmus, the reaction to optokinetic stim ulation with monocular and binocular vision and the weak fusion amplitude. In this re spect the detailed analyses o f 55 patients with various types o f ocular nystagmus is most illuminating. Optomotor stimuli form the basis o f opti cal localization and hence o f visual acuity. P o o r visual acuity, alternating hyperphoria, strabismus, or abnormal correspondence may develop as a consequence o f disturbed m o nocular optomotor reflexes. Asymmetric be havior o f the eyes in binocular gaze on turn ing to the right and left indicates asymmetric development o f the optomotor reflexes. In latent nystagmus there is a fixation tonus from each eye in the dirction o f the other eye. Hence the eyes are still when both are open. The primary developmental disturbance in the optical fixation paths which causes this jerking nystagmus is probably in the area striata and its immediate neighborhood. James E . Lebensohn.
HEBREW
915 MEDICAL JOURNAL,
1. Edited by M . Einhorn, York.
1955, V o l u m e M.D., New
This semiannual journal, n o w in its 28th year o f continuous publication, features es pecially sundry historic aspects o f medicine. Dr. A . Levinson o f Chicago emphasizes the beneficial influence o f Maimonides in influ encing popular medical conceptions. Maimon ides condemned amulets and superstitious remedies. Although he was unaware o f the harmful bacteria that water may contain, Maimonides did k n o w that boiling water made it safe for drinking; and because o f this the Jews o f the Middle A g e s escaped the devastating epidemics then current. James E. Lebensohn.
PHARMACODYNAMIC
POTENTIALIZATION IN
B y Joaquin Barraquer Moner, M . D . , Barcelona, Barraquer Insti tute, 1955. 293 pages, 59 illustrations and an 11-page bibliography. ( I t is written in Spanish, but includes French and English translations.) P r i c e : N o t listed. This monograph deals with the use o f small doses o f several drugs, such as those that block the sympathetic and parasympa thetic nerves, together with hypnotics, curare, and other drugs that are given intravenously to produce local and general analgesia and akinesia. OPHTHALMOLOGY.
B y this method the author reports that deep sedation with muscular relaxation is obtained. T h e reflexes are not all abolished and the patient is conscious. T h e blood pres sure is lowered, metabolism is reduced; and there is complete postoperative amnesia. A state o f hibernation is produced. Complications, such as vitreous loss and hemorrhage, in a series o f cataract extrac tions were greatly reduced when using this method as compared with a similar series o f extractions in which local anesthesia and aki nesia were used. T h e method is one that deserves careful consideration. Walter S. Atkinson.