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Solar Retinitis
630
EDITORIALS
in favor of the vitreous as against the subretinal space, then such a difTer ence will be effective in maintaining the normal position of the retina, but only so long as the retina is intact, while the rapidly curative effect of successful ignipuncture may be accounted for by restored continuity of the retinal mem brane. \ O g t ' s new paper includes a very practical discussion (with diagrams and illustrations) of the technique of locali zation of the retinal hole and of the remedial ignipuncture. Gonin's techni(juc was outlined by Gradle in the ])aper above referred to. Experience has shown that the natural tendency of the oi)erator is to place the puncture farther forward than the hole, and al lowance must be made for this fact, since it is more beneficial to err, if at all, in the opposite direction. IV. H. Crisp. SOLAR RETINITIS Next to the astronomer, the opthalmologist is ])erhai)s most particularly affected by the phenomena of the eclipse of the sun. The fascination of observ ing a total eclifise is heightened to him, not only by knowledge of at least the elementary optical and mathemat ical problems involved, but also by his consciousness of the ocular lesions which may result if the eye of the ob server be not properly protected. The total eclipse of the sun on April twenty-eighth offered opthalmologists in .San I-Vancisco opportunity for both optical and i)athological observations (since they were in the line of the ninety-nine percent obscuration). As the moment of the total phase apI)roached, the shar[)ly defined and ragged edge of the moon's disc con trasted strongly with the soft and uni form outline of the sun's limbus. Most striking were the shadow bands, pre sented as vague and rapidly moving \vavelike alternations of light and shade flitting over any white surface illumin ated by the sun's rays, immediately be fore and after the total pha.se. These are probably due to a flickering of the light from the thin crescent, produced
by the undulations of the air in the same way as the twinkling of the stars. The rapid progressive motion some times assigned to them may be regarded as the natural result of an optical illu sion. The hush that descended upon a large community, the deeper azure and violet tinge of all shadows, the pro gressive lowering of illumination, and the cold breeze which seemed to come in from all points of the compass, all contributed to give the sensation of a Power immense beyond human com prehension. Late pathological effects of the eclipse were observed in five cases of ".solar retinitis", which appeared for ex amination in the week following the eclipse. Of these, two have a small total central scotoma and are undoubtedly permanently injured. Two have a tan talizing small shadow before each eye, without our being able to prove a cen tral scotoma. The fifth case was of a kind perhaps not yet reported, of defi nite central scotoma in an aviator who at the height of 12,(XX) feet, for a period of nearly an hour, observed the eclipse with great interest through a not suffi ciently darkened glass. It would seem to be the duty of ophthalmologists to warn their com munities to use proper methods of shielding their eyes during observation of a solar eclipse. The darkened glass or x-ray film .should be so dense that absolutely no sensation of disagreeable glare is experienced by the observer. Hans Barkan. CHEVALIER TAYLOR, OCULIST OR QUACK A quack, says one dictionary, is "a boastful pretender to medical skill which he does not possess, a sham prac titioner in medicine; a charlatan, an empiric". And a charlatan is "an as suming, empty pretender to knowledge or skill"; while an empiric, as here con sidered, is "one who begins to practice medicine without a regular professional education, relying solely upon his ex perience and observation". Chevalier Taylor, the "royal oculist", was bitterly referred to by lexicogra-
EDITORIALS
in favor of the vitreous as against the subretinal space, then such a difTer ence will be effective in maintaining the normal position of the retina, but only so long as the retina is intact, while the rapidly curative effect of successful ignipuncture may be accounted for by restored continuity of the retinal mem brane. \ O g t ' s new paper includes a very practical discussion (with diagrams and illustrations) of the technique of locali zation of the retinal hole and of the remedial ignipuncture. Gonin's techni(juc was outlined by Gradle in the ])aper above referred to. Experience has shown that the natural tendency of the oi)erator is to place the puncture farther forward than the hole, and al lowance must be made for this fact, since it is more beneficial to err, if at all, in the opposite direction. IV. H. Crisp. SOLAR RETINITIS Next to the astronomer, the opthalmologist is ])erhai)s most particularly affected by the phenomena of the eclipse of the sun. The fascination of observ ing a total eclifise is heightened to him, not only by knowledge of at least the elementary optical and mathemat ical problems involved, but also by his consciousness of the ocular lesions which may result if the eye of the ob server be not properly protected. The total eclipse of the sun on April twenty-eighth offered opthalmologists in .San I-Vancisco opportunity for both optical and i)athological observations (since they were in the line of the ninety-nine percent obscuration). As the moment of the total phase apI)roached, the shar[)ly defined and ragged edge of the moon's disc con trasted strongly with the soft and uni form outline of the sun's limbus. Most striking were the shadow bands, pre sented as vague and rapidly moving \vavelike alternations of light and shade flitting over any white surface illumin ated by the sun's rays, immediately be fore and after the total pha.se. These are probably due to a flickering of the light from the thin crescent, produced
by the undulations of the air in the same way as the twinkling of the stars. The rapid progressive motion some times assigned to them may be regarded as the natural result of an optical illu sion. The hush that descended upon a large community, the deeper azure and violet tinge of all shadows, the pro gressive lowering of illumination, and the cold breeze which seemed to come in from all points of the compass, all contributed to give the sensation of a Power immense beyond human com prehension. Late pathological effects of the eclipse were observed in five cases of ".solar retinitis", which appeared for ex amination in the week following the eclipse. Of these, two have a small total central scotoma and are undoubtedly permanently injured. Two have a tan talizing small shadow before each eye, without our being able to prove a cen tral scotoma. The fifth case was of a kind perhaps not yet reported, of defi nite central scotoma in an aviator who at the height of 12,(XX) feet, for a period of nearly an hour, observed the eclipse with great interest through a not suffi ciently darkened glass. It would seem to be the duty of ophthalmologists to warn their com munities to use proper methods of shielding their eyes during observation of a solar eclipse. The darkened glass or x-ray film .should be so dense that absolutely no sensation of disagreeable glare is experienced by the observer. Hans Barkan. CHEVALIER TAYLOR, OCULIST OR QUACK A quack, says one dictionary, is "a boastful pretender to medical skill which he does not possess, a sham prac titioner in medicine; a charlatan, an empiric". And a charlatan is "an as suming, empty pretender to knowledge or skill"; while an empiric, as here con sidered, is "one who begins to practice medicine without a regular professional education, relying solely upon his ex perience and observation". Chevalier Taylor, the "royal oculist", was bitterly referred to by lexicogra-