- Email: [email protected]
Rare Ocular Tumors
419
BOOK REVIEWS formulas of tonography. H e concludes that the tonographic outflow resistance is not en tirely mechanic or "dead" but contains a "living neurovascular" fraction of about five to 15 percent. Numerous tonographies on the same eye are close to reality. There is a wide margin of error in single tonographies. T h e method is restricted to special cases ( 1 ) low tension and hypersecretion glaucomas and ( 2 ) the early prognosis of the capacity of outflow following glaucoma surgery. ( S u m maries in English, German. Extensive bibli ography.) T h e third article, "Mechanisms of reflex dilatation of the pupil," is by Irene E . Loewenfeld of New York, working in the labora tory of Otto Lowenstein who writes a short preface. D r . Loewenfeld's work is most ex tensive and elaborate, beginning with a long historical study of the background and end ing with a detailed analysis of her experi mental work. T h e supplement consists of reproductions of her working sheets of analysis of her data. I find it impossible here even to summarize her summary. (Extensive bibliography, summaries in English, French, German.) H e r paper will bring a lot of pleas ure to the ocular physiologists. The volumes of Documenta Ophthalmologica are indispensable tools, particularly for the research worker. Derrick Vail.
vividly by means of photographs. The photo graphs are large and are well reproduced and certainly provide, primarily for the beginner, a graphic representation of retinal conditions. T h e section covering hypertensive retinop athy and arteriosclerosis was particularly in teresting. T h e author prefers the Scheie classification in which the findings of hyper tension are separated from those of arterio sclerosis. T h e section covering retinal hemor rhages is particularly well illustrated. H e gives us a photographic history of a p r e retinal hemorrhage from its inception through its various stages of absorption and complete resolution two years later. T h e book would certainly be of great help to medical students w h o are attempting to learn funduscopy. Joseph E . Alfano.
RARE
OCULAR
TUMORS.
By
Konstantin
Pascheff, M.D. Sofia. (German translation edited by Ruth Borner, M . D . ) Berlin, Akademie Verlag, 1958. 141 pages, 98 il lustrations, 7 tables. Price: N o t listed. Rare Ocular Tumors and Ocular Cancer in Bulgaria, originally published in 1952, and Plasmocytic and Lymphocytic Hyperplasias and Tumors of the Conjunctiva, originally published in 1951, a r e combined in a single volume in this translation from Bulgarian into German and edited by Borner.
A s a product from the pen of the Nestor among Bulgarian ophthalmologists, this work O C U L I : V O L U M E I. A L T E R A T I O N S I N T H E deserves respect. T h e cases described were RETINAL CIRCULATION. By Antonio all examined by Pascheff during the many Clerici, M . D . Milano, Italy, A . Fattorini, years of his directorship in the eye clinic 1957. 133 photographs, 210 pages, 136 which he founded in Sofia. Yet one wonders references. Price: N o t listed. about the title of a book on " r a r e " tumors This textbook can be divided into a series which includes examples of malignant mela of nine sections, dealing in numerical order noma of the choroid a n d retinoblastoma. with spasmatic conditions of the retinal ves Most tumors are represented by one, or, at sels, retinal hemorrhages, exudates, hyper the most, two cases. T h e meager statistical tensive retinopathy, venus occlusion, arterial data are of little help in an evaluation of the occlusion, diabetic retinopathy, and renal frequency with which some of the rare retinopathy. tumors occur. Also, " t u m o r " is used in the T h e story of these conditions is told quite widest sense of the word, including not only A
DOCUMENTAL
STUDY
OF T H E F U N D U S
420
BOOK REVIEWS
instances of syphiloma but also parasitic cysts. In variance to our present tendency of simplifying the nomenclature, Paschefif clings to subdivisons and even attempts to intro duce new subheadings. A term like melanoneurophoroblastoma is quite descriptive but is bound to create confusion. A case of cystic basal-cell carcinoma is presented as cylindroma. This term, originally introduced by Billroth, is used by some authors for certain types of carcinoma of the lacrimal gland— an example of how such subdivisions add to the difficulties in our understanding of the variety of tumors. There is one example of this rarest of all intraocular tumors: one originating from the pigment layer of the retina. Yet, from the description of the case and the microphotograph it would be most difficult to differenti ate it from an ordinary epithelioid cell type of malignant melanoma of the choroid. The second part of the book concerns it self with a re-evaluation of Pascheff's origi nal contributions to the plasmocytic and lymphocytic hyperplasias of the conjunctiva. He has not abandoned his original concept that plasmoma is an inflammatory growth sui generis and is in no causal relationship to trachoma—in spite of the fact that seven of his 10 cases suffered from trachoma. In summary, this book should be con sidered a document of personal reminiscences of one of ophthalmology's great names even though it is quite dated in many respects. It adds little to our present knowledge of the subject and in no way challenges the standard texts of the tumors of the eye and its adnexa. Stefan Van Wien. WAR
BLINDED VETERANS IN A POSTWAR
SETTING. Published by Veterans Adminis tration, 1958. 260 pages, 88 tables. Price: $1.50. How have the veterans who were blinded in World War II and the Korean Police Ac tion fared since the end of hostilities and the
end of their blind training ? This volume pre pared by the Social Work Service and the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service of the Department of Medicine and Surgery of the Veterans Administration is a note worthy effort to find out. It will be recalled that toward the end of World War II our government established training centers for the blinded service men at Avon Old Farms Convalescent Hospital, Valley Forge Army General Hospital, Dibble Army General Hospital, and Philadelphia Naval Hospital. Shortly after the conclusion of the war the Blind Rehabilitation Unit in the Veterans Administration Hospital, Hines, Illinois, was established "to serve the needs of veterans suffering postwar loss of sight from old injuries incurred in service and also service men losing their sight in such future military action as might occur." This unit was an active and going concern when the Korean War broke out and was therefore able to fulfill its obligations to the blinded service men of that episode without delay. The training program is superb and most efficient. A follow-up study of the veterans who had passed through these centers was initiated in about 1953. Voluminous studies were made by a host of dedicated workers. The fruits of their labors are detailed in this book, which of its nature is statistical and therefore does not lend itself readily to review. It is worthy of careful attention by all those inter ested, and this includes ophthalmologists, in the reaction and lives of the blind. At the outset, the reader is impressed with the warmth, compassion, and sympathetic approach of the many workers who have produced this report. All of us should read and ponder Chapter II, "Purpose of survey report." Here after discussing the conflicts between the seeing and the blind, and in the blind man himself, the chapter closes with this paragraph: "It is always well to keep in mind the fact that the inward being of the individual who has been blinded as an adult is often a battleground between the whole
BOOK REVIEWS formulas of tonography. H e concludes that the tonographic outflow resistance is not en tirely mechanic or "dead" but contains a "living neurovascular" fraction of about five to 15 percent. Numerous tonographies on the same eye are close to reality. There is a wide margin of error in single tonographies. T h e method is restricted to special cases ( 1 ) low tension and hypersecretion glaucomas and ( 2 ) the early prognosis of the capacity of outflow following glaucoma surgery. ( S u m maries in English, German. Extensive bibli ography.) T h e third article, "Mechanisms of reflex dilatation of the pupil," is by Irene E . Loewenfeld of New York, working in the labora tory of Otto Lowenstein who writes a short preface. D r . Loewenfeld's work is most ex tensive and elaborate, beginning with a long historical study of the background and end ing with a detailed analysis of her experi mental work. T h e supplement consists of reproductions of her working sheets of analysis of her data. I find it impossible here even to summarize her summary. (Extensive bibliography, summaries in English, French, German.) H e r paper will bring a lot of pleas ure to the ocular physiologists. The volumes of Documenta Ophthalmologica are indispensable tools, particularly for the research worker. Derrick Vail.
vividly by means of photographs. The photo graphs are large and are well reproduced and certainly provide, primarily for the beginner, a graphic representation of retinal conditions. T h e section covering hypertensive retinop athy and arteriosclerosis was particularly in teresting. T h e author prefers the Scheie classification in which the findings of hyper tension are separated from those of arterio sclerosis. T h e section covering retinal hemor rhages is particularly well illustrated. H e gives us a photographic history of a p r e retinal hemorrhage from its inception through its various stages of absorption and complete resolution two years later. T h e book would certainly be of great help to medical students w h o are attempting to learn funduscopy. Joseph E . Alfano.
RARE
OCULAR
TUMORS.
By
Konstantin
Pascheff, M.D. Sofia. (German translation edited by Ruth Borner, M . D . ) Berlin, Akademie Verlag, 1958. 141 pages, 98 il lustrations, 7 tables. Price: N o t listed. Rare Ocular Tumors and Ocular Cancer in Bulgaria, originally published in 1952, and Plasmocytic and Lymphocytic Hyperplasias and Tumors of the Conjunctiva, originally published in 1951, a r e combined in a single volume in this translation from Bulgarian into German and edited by Borner.
A s a product from the pen of the Nestor among Bulgarian ophthalmologists, this work O C U L I : V O L U M E I. A L T E R A T I O N S I N T H E deserves respect. T h e cases described were RETINAL CIRCULATION. By Antonio all examined by Pascheff during the many Clerici, M . D . Milano, Italy, A . Fattorini, years of his directorship in the eye clinic 1957. 133 photographs, 210 pages, 136 which he founded in Sofia. Yet one wonders references. Price: N o t listed. about the title of a book on " r a r e " tumors This textbook can be divided into a series which includes examples of malignant mela of nine sections, dealing in numerical order noma of the choroid a n d retinoblastoma. with spasmatic conditions of the retinal ves Most tumors are represented by one, or, at sels, retinal hemorrhages, exudates, hyper the most, two cases. T h e meager statistical tensive retinopathy, venus occlusion, arterial data are of little help in an evaluation of the occlusion, diabetic retinopathy, and renal frequency with which some of the rare retinopathy. tumors occur. Also, " t u m o r " is used in the T h e story of these conditions is told quite widest sense of the word, including not only A
DOCUMENTAL
STUDY
OF T H E F U N D U S
420
BOOK REVIEWS
instances of syphiloma but also parasitic cysts. In variance to our present tendency of simplifying the nomenclature, Paschefif clings to subdivisons and even attempts to intro duce new subheadings. A term like melanoneurophoroblastoma is quite descriptive but is bound to create confusion. A case of cystic basal-cell carcinoma is presented as cylindroma. This term, originally introduced by Billroth, is used by some authors for certain types of carcinoma of the lacrimal gland— an example of how such subdivisions add to the difficulties in our understanding of the variety of tumors. There is one example of this rarest of all intraocular tumors: one originating from the pigment layer of the retina. Yet, from the description of the case and the microphotograph it would be most difficult to differenti ate it from an ordinary epithelioid cell type of malignant melanoma of the choroid. The second part of the book concerns it self with a re-evaluation of Pascheff's origi nal contributions to the plasmocytic and lymphocytic hyperplasias of the conjunctiva. He has not abandoned his original concept that plasmoma is an inflammatory growth sui generis and is in no causal relationship to trachoma—in spite of the fact that seven of his 10 cases suffered from trachoma. In summary, this book should be con sidered a document of personal reminiscences of one of ophthalmology's great names even though it is quite dated in many respects. It adds little to our present knowledge of the subject and in no way challenges the standard texts of the tumors of the eye and its adnexa. Stefan Van Wien. WAR
BLINDED VETERANS IN A POSTWAR
SETTING. Published by Veterans Adminis tration, 1958. 260 pages, 88 tables. Price: $1.50. How have the veterans who were blinded in World War II and the Korean Police Ac tion fared since the end of hostilities and the
end of their blind training ? This volume pre pared by the Social Work Service and the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service of the Department of Medicine and Surgery of the Veterans Administration is a note worthy effort to find out. It will be recalled that toward the end of World War II our government established training centers for the blinded service men at Avon Old Farms Convalescent Hospital, Valley Forge Army General Hospital, Dibble Army General Hospital, and Philadelphia Naval Hospital. Shortly after the conclusion of the war the Blind Rehabilitation Unit in the Veterans Administration Hospital, Hines, Illinois, was established "to serve the needs of veterans suffering postwar loss of sight from old injuries incurred in service and also service men losing their sight in such future military action as might occur." This unit was an active and going concern when the Korean War broke out and was therefore able to fulfill its obligations to the blinded service men of that episode without delay. The training program is superb and most efficient. A follow-up study of the veterans who had passed through these centers was initiated in about 1953. Voluminous studies were made by a host of dedicated workers. The fruits of their labors are detailed in this book, which of its nature is statistical and therefore does not lend itself readily to review. It is worthy of careful attention by all those inter ested, and this includes ophthalmologists, in the reaction and lives of the blind. At the outset, the reader is impressed with the warmth, compassion, and sympathetic approach of the many workers who have produced this report. All of us should read and ponder Chapter II, "Purpose of survey report." Here after discussing the conflicts between the seeing and the blind, and in the blind man himself, the chapter closes with this paragraph: "It is always well to keep in mind the fact that the inward being of the individual who has been blinded as an adult is often a battleground between the whole