- Email: [email protected]
Lesiones del Fondo de Ojo, Observadas en Venezuela
824
BOOK NOTICES
logical Society is well founded cannot be denied. A society limited to a small number and organized at a time when few oculists were located in the west was certain to contain eastern ophthal mologists for the most part, and con sequently to keep its ranks filled with easterners and the majority of its meet ings near the Atlantic seaboard. Whether there was hope of its becom ing truly national or not is open to question though there has recently been a tendency toward a more national point of view. The formation of this new society will tend to thwart this ac complishment and may encourage di vision rather than unification of the specialty in this country. It is questionable whether exclusive national specialty societies are the best thing for the profession. That these American invitation societies are most delightful for those on their rolls is un deniable and they have served a most important function as goals to be striven for by the specialist. The begin nings made by our most eminent physi cians who were actuated by the highest motives, have been carried on by their followers. The tradition of high stand ards of science and ethics has been a vital force. The smallness of the or ganizations has made possible delight ful intimacies incompatible with larger groups. Nevertheless one cannot help but notice the omissions in the mem bership lists, of many splendid and rep resentative men and question the wis dom of national scientific societies re quiring the initiative for membership to come from the organization. This has weakened these societies and has caused considerable unhappiness. To avoid these things it is to be hoped that if western eye physicians decide that they do wish a Western Ophthalmological Society, they will not make its membership dependent on invitation but will rather model it so every well qualified man will be eligible and may make application for membership and not have to await an invitation from a small group whose knowledge of those who ought to be included may be in adequate. The necessary qualifications may reasonably be placed very high so
that inclusion in it may be something for which the young ophthalmologist may strive as a reward for outstanding achievement in his profession. T h e . primary consideration in the question of formation of this new society must be the general good of the profession. This cannot always be foretold. Per haps the trial should be made so that time may give the answer. It is un fortunate that such things are easier to start than to stop. W e shall watch with interest the new development and hope that if undertaken it may prove to be of real value to ophthalmology. Lawrence T. Post. BOOK NOTICES Lesiones del Fondo de Ojo, observadas en Venezuela (Lesions of the ocu lar fundus, observed in Venezuela). By J. M. Espino. M.D. Paper cov ers, 184 pages, not illustrated. Price not stated. Caracas (Venezuela) Lit. by Tip. del Comercio, 1933. This is a membership thesis pre sented to the National Academy of Medicine of Venezuela. It is based upon the patients attending a private clinic at Caracas, including 1,225 patients who showed disturbance of the ocular fundus. It is entirely without pictorial illustrations. The statistics and brief clinical histories are given in nine chap ters, on lesions of the optic nerve, lesions of the retina, neuroretinal lesions, lesions of the choroid, glaucomatous lesions, angiosclerotic lesions, circulatory and vascular lesions, trau matic lesions, and congenital lesions. W . H. Crisp. The anatomy of the eye and orbit, in cluding the central connections, de velopment, and comparative anat omy of the visual apparatus. By Eugene Wolff, ophthalmic surgeon, Royal Northern Hospital ; patholo gist and lecturer in anatomy to the Royal Westminster Ophthalmic Hospital; etc. Large octavo, cloth bound. 310 pages on enamel paper, 172 illustrations. Price $7.50. Phila delphia, P. Blakiston's Son and Co., 1933.
BOOK NOTICES
logical Society is well founded cannot be denied. A society limited to a small number and organized at a time when few oculists were located in the west was certain to contain eastern ophthal mologists for the most part, and con sequently to keep its ranks filled with easterners and the majority of its meet ings near the Atlantic seaboard. Whether there was hope of its becom ing truly national or not is open to question though there has recently been a tendency toward a more national point of view. The formation of this new society will tend to thwart this ac complishment and may encourage di vision rather than unification of the specialty in this country. It is questionable whether exclusive national specialty societies are the best thing for the profession. That these American invitation societies are most delightful for those on their rolls is un deniable and they have served a most important function as goals to be striven for by the specialist. The begin nings made by our most eminent physi cians who were actuated by the highest motives, have been carried on by their followers. The tradition of high stand ards of science and ethics has been a vital force. The smallness of the or ganizations has made possible delight ful intimacies incompatible with larger groups. Nevertheless one cannot help but notice the omissions in the mem bership lists, of many splendid and rep resentative men and question the wis dom of national scientific societies re quiring the initiative for membership to come from the organization. This has weakened these societies and has caused considerable unhappiness. To avoid these things it is to be hoped that if western eye physicians decide that they do wish a Western Ophthalmological Society, they will not make its membership dependent on invitation but will rather model it so every well qualified man will be eligible and may make application for membership and not have to await an invitation from a small group whose knowledge of those who ought to be included may be in adequate. The necessary qualifications may reasonably be placed very high so
that inclusion in it may be something for which the young ophthalmologist may strive as a reward for outstanding achievement in his profession. T h e . primary consideration in the question of formation of this new society must be the general good of the profession. This cannot always be foretold. Per haps the trial should be made so that time may give the answer. It is un fortunate that such things are easier to start than to stop. W e shall watch with interest the new development and hope that if undertaken it may prove to be of real value to ophthalmology. Lawrence T. Post. BOOK NOTICES Lesiones del Fondo de Ojo, observadas en Venezuela (Lesions of the ocu lar fundus, observed in Venezuela). By J. M. Espino. M.D. Paper cov ers, 184 pages, not illustrated. Price not stated. Caracas (Venezuela) Lit. by Tip. del Comercio, 1933. This is a membership thesis pre sented to the National Academy of Medicine of Venezuela. It is based upon the patients attending a private clinic at Caracas, including 1,225 patients who showed disturbance of the ocular fundus. It is entirely without pictorial illustrations. The statistics and brief clinical histories are given in nine chap ters, on lesions of the optic nerve, lesions of the retina, neuroretinal lesions, lesions of the choroid, glaucomatous lesions, angiosclerotic lesions, circulatory and vascular lesions, trau matic lesions, and congenital lesions. W . H. Crisp. The anatomy of the eye and orbit, in cluding the central connections, de velopment, and comparative anat omy of the visual apparatus. By Eugene Wolff, ophthalmic surgeon, Royal Northern Hospital ; patholo gist and lecturer in anatomy to the Royal Westminster Ophthalmic Hospital; etc. Large octavo, cloth bound. 310 pages on enamel paper, 172 illustrations. Price $7.50. Phila delphia, P. Blakiston's Son and Co., 1933.