Tribute to Ernst Fuchs

Tribute to Ernst Fuchs

736 EDITORIALS is placed in the wafer after a hole has been English, Dr. Meyer-Schwickerath, of Bonn, drilled through the dentine into which the who...

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736

EDITORIALS

is placed in the wafer after a hole has been English, Dr. Meyer-Schwickerath, of Bonn, drilled through the dentine into which the who speaks English superbly, addressed the lens is snugly secured. The dentine tolerates French Society in eloquent French. Our a filling, be it gold, porcelain or a lens, and own Derrick Vail, as president of the banthe eye tolerates the dentine since the rejec- quet of the Société française, delighted all tion factor is minimized, the dentine being present with his welcoming address delivered autogenous tissue. The problem of damaged in French. iridocorneal angles or cataracts in these This proficiency in languages made me cases was not discussed, but ophthal- wonder if it might not be wise to make mologists, who had visited Strampelli in reading and speaking two foreign languages Rome before attending the meeting in a requirement for the M.D. degree, as it is Spain, reported having seen patients with for a Ph.D. in science. I am convinced that excellent vision for getting about and for more direct and untranslated communication reading, in spite of the fact that they were with ophthalmic research surgeons in Eulooking through a small aperture in an egg- rope would give added impetus to the efforts white scarred cornea. It was a rare treat to of our own researchers. see Dr. Strampelli perform this surgery. Finally, a team may carry a greater load Dr. Strampelli has also devised an ante- than any single individual can carry but it rior chamber pneumonizer which, by an air will scatter its efforts and not achieve its pump, maintains the pressure in the anterior goal without the guidance and discipline of chamber. This may prove to be of extreme one inspired individual. value in making microsurgery in the chamS. Rodman Irvine. ber practical where it has been impossible. I would like to say that, although Strampelli's T R I B U T E TO E R N S T FUCHS modification of the Ridley intraocular lens is being discarded by most surgeons, it has During the week of May 9, 1965, rectors been modified and is being used with and deans from all over the world gathered definite success by Binkhorst in Holland. in Vienna to participate in the celebration of This is again an example of how tedious at- the 600th anniversary of the founding of tention to detail by one individual may pro- the University of Vienna. The International duce results not realized in the hands of a Ophthalmological Council chose this occagroup or team. sion to pay tribute to the memory of the The Société française d'Ophthalmologie great Viennese ophthalmologist, Ernst has a membership of 1,000 French ophthal- Fuchs. The inspiration came from Derrick mologists and 1,500 from outside France. Vail, president of the International Council. At the 1965 meeting in Paris, Prof. Joseph Boeck, professor and head of the Paufique, of Lyon, and others beautifully Second University Eye Clinic, had made the demonstrated the latest techniques in cor- local arrangements. neal transplantation and lamellar grafts, as The arcades of the main building of the well as the use of fascia lata for indenting University, where the memory of its most the sciera in detachment work. distinguished members is perpetuated in Attendance at these meetings maade me various forms of sculpture, provided a marvel at the fluency with which all the Eu- fitting site for the ceremony. There, under ropeans on the programs spoke in languages the plaque of Ernst Fuchs (fig. 1), a small other than their own. Dr. Joaquin Barra- group of his direct and indirect students quer could, without effort, carry on conversa- gathered in the late afternoon of May 12th. tions and discussions of his surgery not While Prof. Boeck placed a wreath under only in Spanish, but in Italian, French or the plaque, Peter Kronfeld recalled some of

CORRESPONDENCE

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Fig. 1. Taking part in the Tribute to Ernst Fuchs are (left to right) Dr. Maximilian Nitsch, Dr. Franz Subal, Dr. Karl Vogt, Prof. Dr. Helmut Fan ta, Prof. Dr. Karl Hruby, Dr. Peter C. Kronfeld, Prof. Dr. Josef Bock, Dozent Dr. Ernst Purtscher, Prof. Dr. Arnold Pillât, Dr. Rudolf Steiner and Dozent Dr. Franz Schwab.

the international facets in the life work of the astute clinician and pioneer in ophthalmic pathology. It was E r n s t Fuchs who introduced E n g lish as a medium of instruction in the postgraduate courses given at the University of Vienna. H i s Textbook was translated into more foreign languages than any other medical text of his period. H e retired early from his post of head of the department to free himself for the role of visiting professor in ophthalmology in what was then considered foreign lands. I n that capacity he may have contributed more toward mutual understanding between peoples after World W a r I than some of the peace treaties. H e was truly an internationalist in ophthalmologyTo have had these memories of the "old

H o f r a t " revived was a heart-warming and re-unifying experience for those present. Peter C. Kronfeld.

CORRESPONDENCE M Y O P I A I N ADULTS

Editor, American Journal of Ophthalmology: In regard to the article by Riffenburgh, "Onset of myopia in the adult" ( A m . J. O p h t h , 59:925-926, May, 1965), I should like to point out that several significant studies have been done which have been of great importance to the Service Academies, U . S . A i r Force, and to the commercial airlines where myopia, acquired in flying per-