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The San Francisco Meetings
796
EDITORIALS
medicine and surgery, for which they felt responsibility and a duty to provide basic instruction. While offering courses on surgical anatomy, biochemistry, and bacteriology, they have assumed that ophthalmology could go on without surgical anatomy of the eye, or understanding of the special metabolism of its transparent media. A beginning in the acquisition of basic instruction for ophthalmology can best be made in the graduate courses that are being arranged in different parts of the country. The men who have gone into practice have come to feel defects in their preliminary education; especially those who have located in small cities, where they have little contact with their colleagues, interested in the same line of work. The anatomy of the eye may be studied and taught without the complete facilities of a dissecting room. The basic facts of refraction may be studied, experimentally, with a source of light and the lenses and prisms of a trial case. The ophthalmologist may study the physiology of ocular refraction and its aberrations in his own eyes. Brief graduate courses can teach practical methods for such studies. But it is as much the duty of those who give graduate instruction to offer these opportunities, as it is the duty of a medical school to give instruction in general anatomy and physiology. It is best for every eye physician to understand the surgical anatomy and physiology of the eye; and the aberrations of his own eyes, and their movements. Any patient may want answers to questions that arise in his mind from things he notices, when using his eyes. Edward Jackson. THE SAN FRANCISCO MEETINGS The meeting of the American Ophthalmological Society was held on the Pa-
cific coast for the first time in its long existence. Everyone present will testify to the success of the undertaking. Fear of a poor attendance has been the principal inhibitory factor to venturing so far from the Eastern seaboard where the bulk of its members live. As evidenced by this meeting this is not to be dreaded in future, for 66 members and more than 75 guests were registered, comparing favorably with the usual registration of about 75 members and only a few guests. The Mark Hopkins Hotel, selected for not only this meeting but also for that of the Research Association, and serving, as well, as headquarters for the ophthalmic section, proved in every way satisfactory. Located on Nob Hill, it overlooks the city with its surrounding hills and the most beautiful harbor in the United States. There is a real advantage, especially for those who live far from the customary meeting places, in being able to attend two or even three meetings on the same trip, although the combined dosage of 45 papers is almost too much for assimilation. Such a long program does tend to make a pretty dreary outlook for a good attendance on the last day of the meeting. This is hard on the essayists listed towards the finis of the program and presents a problem to the program committee as to whether they should place the most popular speakers near the end, hoping that the interest aroused by them will hold the crowd through the entire meeting, or accept the more obvious course of placing them on the first day, on which the number present is normally large, and let the attendance dwindle rapidly thereafter. San Francisco welcomed her guests royally. Entertainments were lavish and numerous. The city is so frequented by tourists that many and divers cafes flourish. One must hope that he is not
EDITORIALS
allergic to sea food, although if he is not before he goes to the convention, he is in a fair way to becoming so ere he departs. To pick out for discussion on the basis of merit a few papers from the 45 that were read is scarcely possible. Perhaps the most thrilling was the presentation of the effect of sulfanilamide on trachoma. The results as told by the authors and illustrated with slides by the discussor really surpass belief. Although a visit to the Navajo country immediately after the meeting indicated a somewhat less favorable effect on 40 patients treated in that region, and first improvements may be fleeting, the fact that inclusion bodies, which were numerous before the drug was used, could not be found at the end of the treatment, which consisted of internal medication only, indicates that the effect is almost surely due to the action on the organism and lends hope as to the permanency of the improvement. If to the. dramatic and rather convincing evidence in regard to the etiology of trachoma, brought out experimentally in the last five or six years, could now be added a cure for this disease, these years would hold something in ophthalmology about which to boast. It is interesting that two drugs-tartar emetic, as described in the last issue of this Journal, and sulfanilamide, as presented at this meeting--each showing a remarkable effect on trachoma, should come to light within so short a period of one another. Two interesting operations, one for ptosis and one for a spastic entropion, utilizing strips from the orbicularis, were cleverly conceived and appeared so simple that one is tempted to try them at the first opportunity. Further light was thrown on the puzzle of aniseikonia, but much more evidence will have to be accumulated before it can be properly evaluated.
797
We were told again about the operation of incision of the angle of the anterior chamber, under direct vision, for glaucoma. To some was given an opportunity to see patients on whom this had been done. Apparently the operation deserves a full trial by those who have ample surgical opportunities, and if it proves effectual there still remains the question as to its practicability in the hands of the average ophthalmologist before it is generally accepted as one of the universal methods of combating glaucoma. Papers read before the Research Society were unusually good; somewhat difficult to follow at times, and rather tiring before the eighth was concluded at five o'clock. But such is the nature of research, and it is well to have an organization which will be attended by those who are interested in ophthalmic investigations, for the presentation of the results of laboratory work. Except for those giving examinations to candidates for the Board, Sunday and Monday were holidays. This gave an opportunity for a hurried visit to the Y 0semite and its big trees, and the redwoods, or the homes of friends located in the hills about the city. Among officers elected were, for president of the American Ophthalmological Society, Dr. Frederick T. Tooke; for vicepresident, Dr. E. V. L. Brown. Dr. Sylvester Judd Beach was chosen chairman of the Section on Ophthalmology. Hot Springs, Virginia, was selected for the next meeting of the American Ophthalmological Society, and St. Louis for the American Medical Society. It is good to go to different places, and it is surely an advantage to be able to combine several meetings in one. The 1938 meetings in San Francisco will be remembered as unusually pleasant and successful. Lawrence T. Post.
EDITORIALS
medicine and surgery, for which they felt responsibility and a duty to provide basic instruction. While offering courses on surgical anatomy, biochemistry, and bacteriology, they have assumed that ophthalmology could go on without surgical anatomy of the eye, or understanding of the special metabolism of its transparent media. A beginning in the acquisition of basic instruction for ophthalmology can best be made in the graduate courses that are being arranged in different parts of the country. The men who have gone into practice have come to feel defects in their preliminary education; especially those who have located in small cities, where they have little contact with their colleagues, interested in the same line of work. The anatomy of the eye may be studied and taught without the complete facilities of a dissecting room. The basic facts of refraction may be studied, experimentally, with a source of light and the lenses and prisms of a trial case. The ophthalmologist may study the physiology of ocular refraction and its aberrations in his own eyes. Brief graduate courses can teach practical methods for such studies. But it is as much the duty of those who give graduate instruction to offer these opportunities, as it is the duty of a medical school to give instruction in general anatomy and physiology. It is best for every eye physician to understand the surgical anatomy and physiology of the eye; and the aberrations of his own eyes, and their movements. Any patient may want answers to questions that arise in his mind from things he notices, when using his eyes. Edward Jackson. THE SAN FRANCISCO MEETINGS The meeting of the American Ophthalmological Society was held on the Pa-
cific coast for the first time in its long existence. Everyone present will testify to the success of the undertaking. Fear of a poor attendance has been the principal inhibitory factor to venturing so far from the Eastern seaboard where the bulk of its members live. As evidenced by this meeting this is not to be dreaded in future, for 66 members and more than 75 guests were registered, comparing favorably with the usual registration of about 75 members and only a few guests. The Mark Hopkins Hotel, selected for not only this meeting but also for that of the Research Association, and serving, as well, as headquarters for the ophthalmic section, proved in every way satisfactory. Located on Nob Hill, it overlooks the city with its surrounding hills and the most beautiful harbor in the United States. There is a real advantage, especially for those who live far from the customary meeting places, in being able to attend two or even three meetings on the same trip, although the combined dosage of 45 papers is almost too much for assimilation. Such a long program does tend to make a pretty dreary outlook for a good attendance on the last day of the meeting. This is hard on the essayists listed towards the finis of the program and presents a problem to the program committee as to whether they should place the most popular speakers near the end, hoping that the interest aroused by them will hold the crowd through the entire meeting, or accept the more obvious course of placing them on the first day, on which the number present is normally large, and let the attendance dwindle rapidly thereafter. San Francisco welcomed her guests royally. Entertainments were lavish and numerous. The city is so frequented by tourists that many and divers cafes flourish. One must hope that he is not
EDITORIALS
allergic to sea food, although if he is not before he goes to the convention, he is in a fair way to becoming so ere he departs. To pick out for discussion on the basis of merit a few papers from the 45 that were read is scarcely possible. Perhaps the most thrilling was the presentation of the effect of sulfanilamide on trachoma. The results as told by the authors and illustrated with slides by the discussor really surpass belief. Although a visit to the Navajo country immediately after the meeting indicated a somewhat less favorable effect on 40 patients treated in that region, and first improvements may be fleeting, the fact that inclusion bodies, which were numerous before the drug was used, could not be found at the end of the treatment, which consisted of internal medication only, indicates that the effect is almost surely due to the action on the organism and lends hope as to the permanency of the improvement. If to the. dramatic and rather convincing evidence in regard to the etiology of trachoma, brought out experimentally in the last five or six years, could now be added a cure for this disease, these years would hold something in ophthalmology about which to boast. It is interesting that two drugs-tartar emetic, as described in the last issue of this Journal, and sulfanilamide, as presented at this meeting--each showing a remarkable effect on trachoma, should come to light within so short a period of one another. Two interesting operations, one for ptosis and one for a spastic entropion, utilizing strips from the orbicularis, were cleverly conceived and appeared so simple that one is tempted to try them at the first opportunity. Further light was thrown on the puzzle of aniseikonia, but much more evidence will have to be accumulated before it can be properly evaluated.
797
We were told again about the operation of incision of the angle of the anterior chamber, under direct vision, for glaucoma. To some was given an opportunity to see patients on whom this had been done. Apparently the operation deserves a full trial by those who have ample surgical opportunities, and if it proves effectual there still remains the question as to its practicability in the hands of the average ophthalmologist before it is generally accepted as one of the universal methods of combating glaucoma. Papers read before the Research Society were unusually good; somewhat difficult to follow at times, and rather tiring before the eighth was concluded at five o'clock. But such is the nature of research, and it is well to have an organization which will be attended by those who are interested in ophthalmic investigations, for the presentation of the results of laboratory work. Except for those giving examinations to candidates for the Board, Sunday and Monday were holidays. This gave an opportunity for a hurried visit to the Y 0semite and its big trees, and the redwoods, or the homes of friends located in the hills about the city. Among officers elected were, for president of the American Ophthalmological Society, Dr. Frederick T. Tooke; for vicepresident, Dr. E. V. L. Brown. Dr. Sylvester Judd Beach was chosen chairman of the Section on Ophthalmology. Hot Springs, Virginia, was selected for the next meeting of the American Ophthalmological Society, and St. Louis for the American Medical Society. It is good to go to different places, and it is surely an advantage to be able to combine several meetings in one. The 1938 meetings in San Francisco will be remembered as unusually pleasant and successful. Lawrence T. Post.