- Email: [email protected]
The Use of Drugs in Refraction
406
BOOK REVIEWS
subjects of these chapters. The character istics of precocious postnatal cataract are ex emplified by galactosemic cataracts. The many anomalies and lesions of the eye which are associated with congenital cataract such as, for example, microphthalmos, nystagmus, strabismus and retinopathies, are the subject of the 10th chapter. Electroretinography and encephalography are often the only means of evaluation of retinal function in an eye in which cataract obscures a direct view of the fundus. This method of examination in its relationship to cataract is presented in detail. Among the nonocular general affections hyperamino-aciduria is stressed and congeni tal cataract is one of the several manifesta tions which constitute a dozen syndromes such as those of Sj0gren, Lowe, and Rothmund. A number of chapters are devoted to the etiologic and pathogenetic factors in the de velopment of congenital cataract. A variety of bacterial infections, rickettsias, helminthiases and such parasitic diseases as malaria and torulosis are discussed. The develop ment of cataract has also been induced in the offspring of experimental animals by de ficiency of tryphosphane, anoxia, and avitaminosis in the pregnant mother. Toxic, endocrinologie, ionizing and immunologie factors also play a part in the development of congenital cataract and heredity is an im portant factor. Differential diagnosis is the subject of a separate chapter and surgical therapy is de scribed extensively and in detail in the last five chapters. Each chapter is provided with an exten sive bibliography. There is an index of the names of the authors which have been re corded and an exhaustive one of all the data that have been presented ; these make every thing in this most admirable book readily accessible. F. H. Haessler.
FRANCISCUS CORNELIS DONDERS. By F.
P.
Fischer and G. Ten Doesschate. (With a foreword by H. J. M. Weve.) Assen, Van Gorcum and Company, 1958. 215 pages, six illustrations, three tables, index. Price: H. fl. 17.50. What a pity that so few of us can read Dutch for here is a fine biography of one of ophthalmology's greats, and a figure to whom American ophthalmologists owe a large debt. Included in this volume is a reprint from the Proceedings of the Royal Society, XLIX, 1891, by Donder's great friend, Sir William Bowman, a memorial to F. C. D. written at the request of Michael Foster, then secre tary of the Royal Society. This memorial by Bowman (in English) is a beautiful bio graphical sketch and tribute, worthy of care ful reading. One should also read Stewart Duke-Elder's paper on Donders (Brit. J. Ophth., 43:65, 1959) for further tribute. It would be good if the work by Fischer and Ten Doesschate were made available to us in English. Derrick Vail. T H E U S E OF DRUGS IN REFRACTION.
By
D. W. A. Mitchell, F.B.O.A., F.S.M.C. London, British Optical Association, 1959, second edition. 146 pages, 23 illustrations including five in color, index. Price: $4.70. In Great Britain the nonmedical refractionist is permitted to use and prescribe whatever drugs are considered necessary for the purpose of his profession, including cycloplegics for refraction, tetracaine for tonometry, and sulfacetamide for prophylactic use after contact-lens fitting. The author is director of education in the optometric clinic named the London Refraction Hospital. Since "hospital" has a different connotation in Europe and America, Europeans are con fused by our use of this word and vice versa. In Europe, "hospital" refers to a pub lic, wholly charitable institution dealing with health, while private cases must be taken to
BOOK REVIEWS "nursing homes" or "sanitaria." Mitchell de tails the benefits of cycloplegic refraction and stresses its advantages in avoiding overcorrection in myopia and undercorrection in hyperopia. The various methods of instilling drops, ointments, and tablets are thoroughly discussed. Atropine ointment is prescribed up to the age of 15 years. To avoid misuse, the patient returns the surplus at the next visit. In patients up to 43 years of age, ephedrine chloride (four percent) is instilled followed by a drop of homatropine later, the strength of the homatropine decreasing with age—from 15 to 20 years, five percent ; from 20 to 30 years, two percent; and after 30 years, one percent. His studies showed that while the degree of cycloplegia after one hour did not differ between this method and cyclopentolate, an adequate level was ob tained much earlier with the latter. For simple mydriasis he recommends ephedrine chloride, four percent, as it is quickly counteracted by eserine. The popularity of this book in England is attested by two reprintings of the first edition published in 1946. The present revi sion brings the material up-to-date. The in formation presented is well documented with footnote references to the pertinent ophthal mic literature. This volume should be help ful to optometrists doing cycloplegic refrac tions in our Armed Forces and in various clinics. James E. Lebensohn.
407
BIOSYNTHESIS OF TERPENES AND STEROLS.
Edited by G. E. W. Wolstenholme and M. O'Connor. Boston. Little, Brown and Company, 1959. 311 pages, index. Price: $8.75. Both terpenes and sterols are classes of lipid compounds that have some interest for the ophthalmologist. Classic examples of a terpene are the carotenes which are the pre cursors of vitamin A ; similar biologically important compounds in the sterol class are cholesterol and the various vitamin D's. The elucidation of the mechanism of formation of these compounds in the animal body is of obvious importance. This highly technical symposium will be of interest chiefly to re search workers in the chemistry of the eye. David Shoch. By Lyon P. Strean, Ph.D. New York, Twayne Pub lishers, Inc., 1958. Clothbound, 194 pages, index. Price: $3.95. This short, readable book, written in plain words, discusses such factors as heredity, in fection, diet, Rh factors, trauma and stress which may cause congenital anomalies. Brief mention is made of the relationship of mater nal German measles to neonatal eye defects and of maternal vitamin deficiencies which may be first diagnosed by the ophthalmolo gist. Thomas H. F. Chalkley. T H E BIRTH OF NORMAL BABIES.
BOOK REVIEWS
subjects of these chapters. The character istics of precocious postnatal cataract are ex emplified by galactosemic cataracts. The many anomalies and lesions of the eye which are associated with congenital cataract such as, for example, microphthalmos, nystagmus, strabismus and retinopathies, are the subject of the 10th chapter. Electroretinography and encephalography are often the only means of evaluation of retinal function in an eye in which cataract obscures a direct view of the fundus. This method of examination in its relationship to cataract is presented in detail. Among the nonocular general affections hyperamino-aciduria is stressed and congeni tal cataract is one of the several manifesta tions which constitute a dozen syndromes such as those of Sj0gren, Lowe, and Rothmund. A number of chapters are devoted to the etiologic and pathogenetic factors in the de velopment of congenital cataract. A variety of bacterial infections, rickettsias, helminthiases and such parasitic diseases as malaria and torulosis are discussed. The develop ment of cataract has also been induced in the offspring of experimental animals by de ficiency of tryphosphane, anoxia, and avitaminosis in the pregnant mother. Toxic, endocrinologie, ionizing and immunologie factors also play a part in the development of congenital cataract and heredity is an im portant factor. Differential diagnosis is the subject of a separate chapter and surgical therapy is de scribed extensively and in detail in the last five chapters. Each chapter is provided with an exten sive bibliography. There is an index of the names of the authors which have been re corded and an exhaustive one of all the data that have been presented ; these make every thing in this most admirable book readily accessible. F. H. Haessler.
FRANCISCUS CORNELIS DONDERS. By F.
P.
Fischer and G. Ten Doesschate. (With a foreword by H. J. M. Weve.) Assen, Van Gorcum and Company, 1958. 215 pages, six illustrations, three tables, index. Price: H. fl. 17.50. What a pity that so few of us can read Dutch for here is a fine biography of one of ophthalmology's greats, and a figure to whom American ophthalmologists owe a large debt. Included in this volume is a reprint from the Proceedings of the Royal Society, XLIX, 1891, by Donder's great friend, Sir William Bowman, a memorial to F. C. D. written at the request of Michael Foster, then secre tary of the Royal Society. This memorial by Bowman (in English) is a beautiful bio graphical sketch and tribute, worthy of care ful reading. One should also read Stewart Duke-Elder's paper on Donders (Brit. J. Ophth., 43:65, 1959) for further tribute. It would be good if the work by Fischer and Ten Doesschate were made available to us in English. Derrick Vail. T H E U S E OF DRUGS IN REFRACTION.
By
D. W. A. Mitchell, F.B.O.A., F.S.M.C. London, British Optical Association, 1959, second edition. 146 pages, 23 illustrations including five in color, index. Price: $4.70. In Great Britain the nonmedical refractionist is permitted to use and prescribe whatever drugs are considered necessary for the purpose of his profession, including cycloplegics for refraction, tetracaine for tonometry, and sulfacetamide for prophylactic use after contact-lens fitting. The author is director of education in the optometric clinic named the London Refraction Hospital. Since "hospital" has a different connotation in Europe and America, Europeans are con fused by our use of this word and vice versa. In Europe, "hospital" refers to a pub lic, wholly charitable institution dealing with health, while private cases must be taken to
BOOK REVIEWS "nursing homes" or "sanitaria." Mitchell de tails the benefits of cycloplegic refraction and stresses its advantages in avoiding overcorrection in myopia and undercorrection in hyperopia. The various methods of instilling drops, ointments, and tablets are thoroughly discussed. Atropine ointment is prescribed up to the age of 15 years. To avoid misuse, the patient returns the surplus at the next visit. In patients up to 43 years of age, ephedrine chloride (four percent) is instilled followed by a drop of homatropine later, the strength of the homatropine decreasing with age—from 15 to 20 years, five percent ; from 20 to 30 years, two percent; and after 30 years, one percent. His studies showed that while the degree of cycloplegia after one hour did not differ between this method and cyclopentolate, an adequate level was ob tained much earlier with the latter. For simple mydriasis he recommends ephedrine chloride, four percent, as it is quickly counteracted by eserine. The popularity of this book in England is attested by two reprintings of the first edition published in 1946. The present revi sion brings the material up-to-date. The in formation presented is well documented with footnote references to the pertinent ophthal mic literature. This volume should be help ful to optometrists doing cycloplegic refrac tions in our Armed Forces and in various clinics. James E. Lebensohn.
407
BIOSYNTHESIS OF TERPENES AND STEROLS.
Edited by G. E. W. Wolstenholme and M. O'Connor. Boston. Little, Brown and Company, 1959. 311 pages, index. Price: $8.75. Both terpenes and sterols are classes of lipid compounds that have some interest for the ophthalmologist. Classic examples of a terpene are the carotenes which are the pre cursors of vitamin A ; similar biologically important compounds in the sterol class are cholesterol and the various vitamin D's. The elucidation of the mechanism of formation of these compounds in the animal body is of obvious importance. This highly technical symposium will be of interest chiefly to re search workers in the chemistry of the eye. David Shoch. By Lyon P. Strean, Ph.D. New York, Twayne Pub lishers, Inc., 1958. Clothbound, 194 pages, index. Price: $3.95. This short, readable book, written in plain words, discusses such factors as heredity, in fection, diet, Rh factors, trauma and stress which may cause congenital anomalies. Brief mention is made of the relationship of mater nal German measles to neonatal eye defects and of maternal vitamin deficiencies which may be first diagnosed by the ophthalmolo gist. Thomas H. F. Chalkley. T H E BIRTH OF NORMAL BABIES.