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La Papille Optique
608
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
diseases, angiomatoses, diabetes, Eales' dis ease and cerebral circulation. Although there is actually very little that is original, some of the review articles are excellent. The illus trations are superb. The majority of the pa pers are in French, but quite a few are in English. All in all, a worthy tribute to a great man. F. C. Blodi
Edited by Howard F. Conn and Rex B. Conn, Jr. Philadelphia, W. B. Saunders Company, 1968. 990 pages. Price: $21.75. This book presents an outline written by over 300 experts of a large number and vari ety of medical diseases. Each article consists of a definition of the disease entity, a discus sion of the presenting signs and symptoms, and the physical findings. This is followed by a discussion of laboratory tests and other procedures of assistance to the physician in arriving at a definite diagnosis. The format makes for great abbreviation and in many respects the book appears more valuable for preparation for an examination than for the practice of medicine. There are no refer ences ; differential diagnosis is minimized ; however, the text provides a useful review of a wide variety of medical conditions. In asmuch as the extensive Cecil-Loeb Text book of Medicine is published by the same publishers, it is evident that they believe these books complement each other and are not competitive. The text, however, empha sizes the difficult problem of presenting all of medicine in a single text, despite 1,000 pages. One senses from the minimal discus sion of ocular signs in conditions in which the eyes are a prominent part that many of the diseases have been described in a cursory manner. CURRENT DIAGNOSIS.
Frank W. Newell
APRIL, 1969
TEACHING AIDS FOR BLIND AND VISUALLY LIMITED CHILDREN. By Barbara Dorward
and Natalie Barraga. New York, Ameri can Foundation for the Blind, Inc., 1968. Paperbound, 132 pages, index, figures in black and white. Price : $2.75. The awareness of surroundings so cas ually absorbed by the sighted child is difficult for the sightless to capture. To encourage exploration, discrimination and recognition, Miss Dorward devised a series of educa tional toys and teaching aids, constructed of sturdy materials, and evaluated at the Mary land School for the Blind. Since these aids are not available commercially, the brochure gives explicit instructions in both their pro duction and use. Starting with a texturematching puzzle that fascinates even a three-year-old, succeeding games aim to fa miliarize the child with braille. At first, a large braille pegboard is used to make pyr amids and houses; then the alphabet and words in braille are taught in easy stages. Word blocks in braille of varying sizes are matched to spaces to form simple sentences, such as "I like my airplane." The child adds gradually to his knowledge numbers and multiplication, time and the calendar, and as sociated words. In regard to the co-authors, Miss Dorward has instructed the visually handicapped for 15 years, and Dr. Barraga is a specialist in educational techniques. James E. Lebensohn
L A PAPILLE OPTIQUE. By G. Bonamour, M.
Bonnet, P. Bregeat and P. Juge. Paris, Masson et Cie, 1968. Clothbound, 532 pages, index, 277 figures in black and white, 15 color plates. This admirable volume is a suitable com plement to Professor Bregeat's previous monograph L'Oedème Populaire. It follows a perfectly logical schema outlining the spe cific and functional anatomy of the optic nerve head, followed by a most adequate de scription of congenital anomalies of the
VOL. 67, NO. 4
BOOK REVIEWS
609
sult of writing for both groups in such a small book is bound to be a considerable uneveness in coverage. The book is divided into three broad sec tions of which the first deals with anatomy and physiology of the eye. The section on anatomy which is far too brief might have been combined with the chapter on physiol ogy of ocular motility to advantage. The chapters on basic visual functions and the physiology of binocular vision are well cov ered. The presentation is orthodox and con ventional. The second section is headed "Classifica tion and Measurement." In my opinion, this is the least satisfactory of the three sections because it is so brief. For example, the sec tion on "Prism cover test" by which is meant the cross cover test with prisms for the measurement of heterotropia mentions none of the circumstances in which this test is unsatisfactory, nothing of the sometimes confusing end points, and nothing of the technique of screening in different positions of gaze. ORTHOPTICS—THEORY AND PRACTICE. By Hans G. Bredemeyer and Kathleen Bul The third section on sensory and motor lock. St. Louis, the C. V. Mosby Com anomalies is the best section of the book pany, 1968. Clothbound, 284 pages, appen with adequate coverage of the subject. The dix, index, bibliography, 134 figures in authors' views on these subjects also are black and white. conventional and no new or unusual ideas To cover the theory and practice of or are expressed. Although most of the material in this thoptics in 268 pages seems an almost impos sible task. It is not surprising, therefore, to book is available in other texts, it is an inter find in this book some aspects of the subject esting review which will be useful to resi well covered and others neglected or glossed dents in ophthalmology and to experienced over. The preface states that the book is in orthoptists. tended for students of orthoptics; if this The make-up, the illustrations, and the ty means beginning students, the book should pography are up to Mosby's usual excellent be pitched at one level, if it means advanced standards. students a different level is required. The re Daniel Snydacker, M.D. nerve head with good illustration, sometimes in color, of these malformations. A large section is devoted to pathologic aspects of the papilla with a detailed descrip tion of the various causes of papilledema. The fine differential points are explicitly un derlined. The chapter on optic atrophy dis cusses its clinical appearance and various tests which can be administered, and etiologic factors. However, one is surprised to find that the authors recommend the use of strychnine intramuscularly as a stimulant of nerve fibers in the treatment of optic atrophy. The final chapters of the book de scribe tumors of the papilla, drusen forma tion, and trauma to the optic nerve. In general this is an excellent reference text which can be useful both for those in the general practice of ophthalmology as well as those who are interested in the neu rologic aspects of eye disease. Marcel Frenkel
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
diseases, angiomatoses, diabetes, Eales' dis ease and cerebral circulation. Although there is actually very little that is original, some of the review articles are excellent. The illus trations are superb. The majority of the pa pers are in French, but quite a few are in English. All in all, a worthy tribute to a great man. F. C. Blodi
Edited by Howard F. Conn and Rex B. Conn, Jr. Philadelphia, W. B. Saunders Company, 1968. 990 pages. Price: $21.75. This book presents an outline written by over 300 experts of a large number and vari ety of medical diseases. Each article consists of a definition of the disease entity, a discus sion of the presenting signs and symptoms, and the physical findings. This is followed by a discussion of laboratory tests and other procedures of assistance to the physician in arriving at a definite diagnosis. The format makes for great abbreviation and in many respects the book appears more valuable for preparation for an examination than for the practice of medicine. There are no refer ences ; differential diagnosis is minimized ; however, the text provides a useful review of a wide variety of medical conditions. In asmuch as the extensive Cecil-Loeb Text book of Medicine is published by the same publishers, it is evident that they believe these books complement each other and are not competitive. The text, however, empha sizes the difficult problem of presenting all of medicine in a single text, despite 1,000 pages. One senses from the minimal discus sion of ocular signs in conditions in which the eyes are a prominent part that many of the diseases have been described in a cursory manner. CURRENT DIAGNOSIS.
Frank W. Newell
APRIL, 1969
TEACHING AIDS FOR BLIND AND VISUALLY LIMITED CHILDREN. By Barbara Dorward
and Natalie Barraga. New York, Ameri can Foundation for the Blind, Inc., 1968. Paperbound, 132 pages, index, figures in black and white. Price : $2.75. The awareness of surroundings so cas ually absorbed by the sighted child is difficult for the sightless to capture. To encourage exploration, discrimination and recognition, Miss Dorward devised a series of educa tional toys and teaching aids, constructed of sturdy materials, and evaluated at the Mary land School for the Blind. Since these aids are not available commercially, the brochure gives explicit instructions in both their pro duction and use. Starting with a texturematching puzzle that fascinates even a three-year-old, succeeding games aim to fa miliarize the child with braille. At first, a large braille pegboard is used to make pyr amids and houses; then the alphabet and words in braille are taught in easy stages. Word blocks in braille of varying sizes are matched to spaces to form simple sentences, such as "I like my airplane." The child adds gradually to his knowledge numbers and multiplication, time and the calendar, and as sociated words. In regard to the co-authors, Miss Dorward has instructed the visually handicapped for 15 years, and Dr. Barraga is a specialist in educational techniques. James E. Lebensohn
L A PAPILLE OPTIQUE. By G. Bonamour, M.
Bonnet, P. Bregeat and P. Juge. Paris, Masson et Cie, 1968. Clothbound, 532 pages, index, 277 figures in black and white, 15 color plates. This admirable volume is a suitable com plement to Professor Bregeat's previous monograph L'Oedème Populaire. It follows a perfectly logical schema outlining the spe cific and functional anatomy of the optic nerve head, followed by a most adequate de scription of congenital anomalies of the
VOL. 67, NO. 4
BOOK REVIEWS
609
sult of writing for both groups in such a small book is bound to be a considerable uneveness in coverage. The book is divided into three broad sec tions of which the first deals with anatomy and physiology of the eye. The section on anatomy which is far too brief might have been combined with the chapter on physiol ogy of ocular motility to advantage. The chapters on basic visual functions and the physiology of binocular vision are well cov ered. The presentation is orthodox and con ventional. The second section is headed "Classifica tion and Measurement." In my opinion, this is the least satisfactory of the three sections because it is so brief. For example, the sec tion on "Prism cover test" by which is meant the cross cover test with prisms for the measurement of heterotropia mentions none of the circumstances in which this test is unsatisfactory, nothing of the sometimes confusing end points, and nothing of the technique of screening in different positions of gaze. ORTHOPTICS—THEORY AND PRACTICE. By Hans G. Bredemeyer and Kathleen Bul The third section on sensory and motor lock. St. Louis, the C. V. Mosby Com anomalies is the best section of the book pany, 1968. Clothbound, 284 pages, appen with adequate coverage of the subject. The dix, index, bibliography, 134 figures in authors' views on these subjects also are black and white. conventional and no new or unusual ideas To cover the theory and practice of or are expressed. Although most of the material in this thoptics in 268 pages seems an almost impos sible task. It is not surprising, therefore, to book is available in other texts, it is an inter find in this book some aspects of the subject esting review which will be useful to resi well covered and others neglected or glossed dents in ophthalmology and to experienced over. The preface states that the book is in orthoptists. tended for students of orthoptics; if this The make-up, the illustrations, and the ty means beginning students, the book should pography are up to Mosby's usual excellent be pitched at one level, if it means advanced standards. students a different level is required. The re Daniel Snydacker, M.D. nerve head with good illustration, sometimes in color, of these malformations. A large section is devoted to pathologic aspects of the papilla with a detailed descrip tion of the various causes of papilledema. The fine differential points are explicitly un derlined. The chapter on optic atrophy dis cusses its clinical appearance and various tests which can be administered, and etiologic factors. However, one is surprised to find that the authors recommend the use of strychnine intramuscularly as a stimulant of nerve fibers in the treatment of optic atrophy. The final chapters of the book de scribe tumors of the papilla, drusen forma tion, and trauma to the optic nerve. In general this is an excellent reference text which can be useful both for those in the general practice of ophthalmology as well as those who are interested in the neu rologic aspects of eye disease. Marcel Frenkel