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Surgery of the Eye
1414
BOOK NOTICES
thenopia in spite of refraction, and whose Bio-Photometer reactions were low. More than half were presbyopic, and two thirds were female. More than two thirds com plained of sensitivity to light. A fairly typical group of symptoms is pointed out by the authors. The frequency of diges tive disturbances and the absence of night blindness in most cases were interesting, the latter difficult to explain. The results claimed for the therapy are truly remarkable in that four fifths of the patients had complete relief from symp toms. This is a striking report and is cer tain to attract much comment and to be given a full trial by many, so that before long confirmatory or contradictory reports should be available. May the event prove the case, for any therapy that will benefit these patients with persistent asthenopia will be most warmly welcomed. Lawrence T. Post.
'
BOOK NOTICES
SURGERY OF T H E EYE. By Meyer Wiener, M.D. and Bennett Young Alvis, M.D. Clothbound, 445 pages, 396 illustrations. Philadelphia and London, W. B. Saunders Company, 1939. Price $8.50. This is one of the most interesting books on the subject of surgery that has been written in many years. It does not pretend to be a complete reference book but includes the most important opera tions on the eye and gives almost in narnative form the authors' personal experi ence with them. There are many ideas that are original with the authors and have been proved successful by extensive trials in their hands. Having had one of the largest surgical practices in this country, Dr. Wiener is especially qualified to have written this kind of book. The reviewer has had the pleasure of serving for many years on the same staff as the authors and has had the opportun ity of seeing them operate and hearing
them teach; hence he knows the funda mental soundness of the principles they have here laid down. Many of Dr. Wie ner's techniques have become a part of the routine in the ophthalmic depart mental surgery at Washington Univer sity, where he has taught for many years. These range from the simple but most useful method of threading a needle with silk to the complicated but effectual goldplate advancement of an extraocular mus cle. Throughout the book are valuable little suggestions such as the rolling down of the conjunctival flap in trephinings—a favorite operation of Dr. Wiener's—over a toothpick applicator, and the circumcis ion of the cornea with a canaliculus knife, in enucleations. In these days when corneal transplants have become practical there is still a place for the authors' operation of excision of scar tissue by means of a crucial incision. The restoration of vision made possible by this means is astonishing to those who have never tried it. Approximately the middle third of the book is devoted to plastic surgery. Dr. Wiener taught this subject during the World War and ever thereafter it was a favorite field. The subject is clearly and concisely handled and is well illustrated, as is the entire book, both in number of pictures—there being almost one to a page —and in their diagrammatic value. Among other original procedures dealt with are the open method of performing the Motais operation for correcting ptosis and the Wiener-Sauer dacryocystorhinostomy. Most surgical texts are dry—serve only for reference. Here is a book that is read able and instructive, and one that will de mand attention. Though naturally preju diced, the reviewer is sure that to recom mend this book highly to his confreres is doing it less than justice. Lawrence T. Post.
BOOK NOTICES
thenopia in spite of refraction, and whose Bio-Photometer reactions were low. More than half were presbyopic, and two thirds were female. More than two thirds com plained of sensitivity to light. A fairly typical group of symptoms is pointed out by the authors. The frequency of diges tive disturbances and the absence of night blindness in most cases were interesting, the latter difficult to explain. The results claimed for the therapy are truly remarkable in that four fifths of the patients had complete relief from symp toms. This is a striking report and is cer tain to attract much comment and to be given a full trial by many, so that before long confirmatory or contradictory reports should be available. May the event prove the case, for any therapy that will benefit these patients with persistent asthenopia will be most warmly welcomed. Lawrence T. Post.
'
BOOK NOTICES
SURGERY OF T H E EYE. By Meyer Wiener, M.D. and Bennett Young Alvis, M.D. Clothbound, 445 pages, 396 illustrations. Philadelphia and London, W. B. Saunders Company, 1939. Price $8.50. This is one of the most interesting books on the subject of surgery that has been written in many years. It does not pretend to be a complete reference book but includes the most important opera tions on the eye and gives almost in narnative form the authors' personal experi ence with them. There are many ideas that are original with the authors and have been proved successful by extensive trials in their hands. Having had one of the largest surgical practices in this country, Dr. Wiener is especially qualified to have written this kind of book. The reviewer has had the pleasure of serving for many years on the same staff as the authors and has had the opportun ity of seeing them operate and hearing
them teach; hence he knows the funda mental soundness of the principles they have here laid down. Many of Dr. Wie ner's techniques have become a part of the routine in the ophthalmic depart mental surgery at Washington Univer sity, where he has taught for many years. These range from the simple but most useful method of threading a needle with silk to the complicated but effectual goldplate advancement of an extraocular mus cle. Throughout the book are valuable little suggestions such as the rolling down of the conjunctival flap in trephinings—a favorite operation of Dr. Wiener's—over a toothpick applicator, and the circumcis ion of the cornea with a canaliculus knife, in enucleations. In these days when corneal transplants have become practical there is still a place for the authors' operation of excision of scar tissue by means of a crucial incision. The restoration of vision made possible by this means is astonishing to those who have never tried it. Approximately the middle third of the book is devoted to plastic surgery. Dr. Wiener taught this subject during the World War and ever thereafter it was a favorite field. The subject is clearly and concisely handled and is well illustrated, as is the entire book, both in number of pictures—there being almost one to a page —and in their diagrammatic value. Among other original procedures dealt with are the open method of performing the Motais operation for correcting ptosis and the Wiener-Sauer dacryocystorhinostomy. Most surgical texts are dry—serve only for reference. Here is a book that is read able and instructive, and one that will de mand attention. Though naturally preju diced, the reviewer is sure that to recom mend this book highly to his confreres is doing it less than justice. Lawrence T. Post.