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The Refraction of the Eye
546
BOOK NOTICES
will have a very good mastery of the subject in all its phases; as it is liable to be presented to the ophthalmologist by patients, corporations or courts seeking his advice and assistance.
E. J.
The Refraction of the Eye. A Manual for Students, by Gustavus Hartridge, F. R. C. S. London, Sixteenth Edition. 12 mo., 294 pages, with one hundred and ten illustrations. Philadelphia. P. Blakiston's Son and Co. 1919. Price, $2.25. With regard to such a book, which has reached its 16th edition, the function of this notice is merely to introduce the work to a new set of readers, a new generation of students of ophthalmology. As the subject of refraction becomes a fixed and definite part of the medical curriculum, we may expect a long life for the best text books relating to it. By comparison with others of its class this is found, after 35 years, still to be the best for the average physician taking up the study of ophthalmology as a specialty. I t presents the basic facts briefly and clearly, with an abundance of illustrations, and practically no algebraic formulas to struggle with. The plan of representing astigmatism by two lines at right angles to each other, and accompanying figures to give the diopters of ametropia in each meridian has been introduced to t h e profession thru this little work, and, is widely used to help understand and teach the subject. Perhaps the most important additions we find are the account of new kinds of glass used in spectacles, and of the visual requirements for the Royal Air Force which has come into existence since the 15th edition was published. It is in striking contrast with the American standard, that the British admits fliers with vision of 6/12 in the best eye capable of correction to 6/6, and in the worse eye, 6/18 correctable to 6/12. There are larger books on refraction, but none better than that of Donders which has been before the profession for 55 years. There are im-
portant things that are only to be learned from these larger works. But it would be a grave mistake for any one starting out to get a practical working knowledge of the subject to begin with the treatise of Donders, or others of similar size and detail. The best we can say of Hartridge's book is that it has ill its old excellences and is kept well up to date.
E. J.
The American Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Ophthalmology. Edited by Col. Casey A. Wood, M. R. C , U. S. A., etc. Assisted by a large staff of collaborators. Fully illustrated. Vol. XIV. Chicago, Cleveland Press, 1919. This volume carries the work from "Protractor" to "Retina, Cyst of the," making the number of pages thus far issued 11,208. The number of collaborators who have contributed to this work is 61, of whom 8 are already deceased. Judging by other encyclopedias and dictionaries there .should be about three volumes still to come, and with the continued good health of the Editor and energy of the publisher these should be forthcoming by about the end of next year. W e can begin to feel sure that it will be completed; and as such a tremendous undertaking is not likely to be attempted again in the near future, this work with possible supplementary volumes will long remain the great reference work on ophthalmology and related subjects. In this volume, as in its predecessors, certain subjects, because of their scientific and practical importance and the space given them, stand out prominently. "Pupil in Health and Disease," written by Dr. Derrick T. Vail, occupies 245 pages, and constitutes the most complete monograph on its subject to be found in any language. But it differs from mostt |thonographs in adopting the encyclopedic, alphabetic arrangement of the topics treated. Thus "Diagnostic Value of the Pupil" is followed by "Dilated Abnormally," and "Epilepsy," "Eserin," and "Essential Mydriasis" follow each other in immediate succession. The number of such topics is several hundred, and
BOOK NOTICES
will have a very good mastery of the subject in all its phases; as it is liable to be presented to the ophthalmologist by patients, corporations or courts seeking his advice and assistance.
E. J.
The Refraction of the Eye. A Manual for Students, by Gustavus Hartridge, F. R. C. S. London, Sixteenth Edition. 12 mo., 294 pages, with one hundred and ten illustrations. Philadelphia. P. Blakiston's Son and Co. 1919. Price, $2.25. With regard to such a book, which has reached its 16th edition, the function of this notice is merely to introduce the work to a new set of readers, a new generation of students of ophthalmology. As the subject of refraction becomes a fixed and definite part of the medical curriculum, we may expect a long life for the best text books relating to it. By comparison with others of its class this is found, after 35 years, still to be the best for the average physician taking up the study of ophthalmology as a specialty. I t presents the basic facts briefly and clearly, with an abundance of illustrations, and practically no algebraic formulas to struggle with. The plan of representing astigmatism by two lines at right angles to each other, and accompanying figures to give the diopters of ametropia in each meridian has been introduced to t h e profession thru this little work, and, is widely used to help understand and teach the subject. Perhaps the most important additions we find are the account of new kinds of glass used in spectacles, and of the visual requirements for the Royal Air Force which has come into existence since the 15th edition was published. It is in striking contrast with the American standard, that the British admits fliers with vision of 6/12 in the best eye capable of correction to 6/6, and in the worse eye, 6/18 correctable to 6/12. There are larger books on refraction, but none better than that of Donders which has been before the profession for 55 years. There are im-
portant things that are only to be learned from these larger works. But it would be a grave mistake for any one starting out to get a practical working knowledge of the subject to begin with the treatise of Donders, or others of similar size and detail. The best we can say of Hartridge's book is that it has ill its old excellences and is kept well up to date.
E. J.
The American Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Ophthalmology. Edited by Col. Casey A. Wood, M. R. C , U. S. A., etc. Assisted by a large staff of collaborators. Fully illustrated. Vol. XIV. Chicago, Cleveland Press, 1919. This volume carries the work from "Protractor" to "Retina, Cyst of the," making the number of pages thus far issued 11,208. The number of collaborators who have contributed to this work is 61, of whom 8 are already deceased. Judging by other encyclopedias and dictionaries there .should be about three volumes still to come, and with the continued good health of the Editor and energy of the publisher these should be forthcoming by about the end of next year. W e can begin to feel sure that it will be completed; and as such a tremendous undertaking is not likely to be attempted again in the near future, this work with possible supplementary volumes will long remain the great reference work on ophthalmology and related subjects. In this volume, as in its predecessors, certain subjects, because of their scientific and practical importance and the space given them, stand out prominently. "Pupil in Health and Disease," written by Dr. Derrick T. Vail, occupies 245 pages, and constitutes the most complete monograph on its subject to be found in any language. But it differs from mostt |thonographs in adopting the encyclopedic, alphabetic arrangement of the topics treated. Thus "Diagnostic Value of the Pupil" is followed by "Dilated Abnormally," and "Epilepsy," "Eserin," and "Essential Mydriasis" follow each other in immediate succession. The number of such topics is several hundred, and