Volume l NEWSLETTER OF THE OPTOMETRIC HISTOIUCAL SOCIETY November 1970 JAN 1 :~; : 1/: Number 4 H. w. Hofstetter, President of the Society is absent from Indiana University, while on Sabbatical. In a letter to me, in September, he mentions an unexpected visit to the Rizaliana Museum at Fort Santiago, in Manila. Dr. Jose Rizal was an ophthalmologist, though better known as a national hero in the Phillipines. He practiced for a while as an Ophthalmic Surgeon, in Hong Kong. In the museum is an award winning oil painting showing him examining the eyes of his mother, on whom he had performed Cataract Surgery. The painting shows him doing retinoscopy. Ode to a Monocle ---=;;...;...;= The editor received a delightful contribution on the monocle, from Mr. James Foulis Hay, a city gent, and accountant, practicing in London. Ver,y apparently he was stimulated by mr comments in the last issue, that there were several ailments which necessitated the use of a monocle, i.e. being English was one of them. But read on:-- In England men aspiring to elegance sartorial No longer wear a frockcoat or fawn spats, But up in London City, far from country life arboreal, Dress quietly in dark suits and bowler hats. And what is quite essential for each smart distinguished fella Is the C4rr.yin&1 like a rapier, of a tightly-rolled umbrella. Amonc these well-dressed exquisites some sport a single eyeglass-­ To foreigners a constant source of fun-- There are several kinds of ailment that necessitate a spy-glass So it's clear that being English must be one These English feel with monocles an impression they're creating They keep them firmly in the eye at all times - even mating. But alas some gents monocular are uncertain of security And they fix on to the glass a silken cord In case that glass should fall. "Let's consign them to obscurity!" One day a tall Guards Colonel loudly roared "The charge for fixing cord on and ensuring that it fits Should be payment for a week at least for dinner at the Ritz." And if you think him prejudiced - that's just one of those things-­ But monocles, unlike fiddles, should be quite devoid of strings. Delightful. Mr. Hay, not only contributed his own poetry, but provided me with several quotations. Who said:-- "you speak with a monocle in your throat." Of course, Oscar Levant in "Memoirs or an Amnesiac" commentir..g on the composer Vernon Duke. And the immortal Tennrson wrote of an Englishman with a monocle-- -23- "And curving a contumelious-lip Gorgonised me from head to foot With a stony British stare." Allied Optometric Organizations--~ Historical Chronology: 1919 International Association of Boards of Examiners in Optometry 1922 American Academy of Optometry 1927 Distinguished Service Foundation of Optometry 1927 Women's Auxiliary to the American Optometric Association 1928 Optometric Extension Program 1930 Council on Education of the American Optometric .4.ssociation 1940 Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry 1947 American Optometric Foundation 1950 Society of Optometric Association Executives 19$1 National Board of Examiners in Optometry 1955 Foundation of Education & Research in Vision 1957 Association of Optometric Editors 1961 Vision Institute of America 1964 American Optometric Institute 1965 Optometric Progress Fund 196$ Fund for Vision 1968 American Optometric Association Retirement Plan New Members - We welcome the following new members to the o. H. S.: Day, Robert E., O.D. 3034 Broadway Garland, Texas 75040 DeBolt, M. L., O.D. Box 605 Winona, Minnesota 55987 Dupuis, Sylvio, O.D. 434 Hevey Street YAnchester, New Hampshire 03102 Fair, Ron G., O.D. 105 Bridge Street Brighton, Colorado 80601 Glosser, William (Mr.) 5863 Village Plaza So. Dr. Indianapolis, Indiana 46219 Hinkle, Norman Wayne, O.D. 116 West First Avenue Owasso, Oklahoma 74055 -24- Hopping, Richard L., O.D. Davue Building, Suite 120 2661 Salem Avenue Dayton, Ohio 45406 Hussey, Lester R., O.D. Suite 222, Rookery Building Spokane, Washington 99201 Koch, Russell M., O.D. 116 North Jefferson Street Elk City, Oklahoma 73644 Koetting, Felix A., O.D. 2730 Watson Road St. Louis, Mo. 63139 Mahlman, H.E., Deputy Director AOA Washington Office 1026 17th Street, N.W., Suite 205 Washington, D.C. 20036 Pacheco, Antonio, Dr. P. o. Box 10223 Santurce, Puerto Rico 00908 Seger, Charles E., O.D. 1407 Garden Street San Luis Obispo, California 93401 Staiman, Jacob, O.D. 101 W. Monument Street, #6-K Baltimore, Maryland 21201 Tumblin, J.c., o.n. 5319 Broadway, N.E. Knoxville, Tennessee 37918 Wolfberg, MAlvin D., o.n. 98 N. Broad Street Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania 17870 New Books of Historical Interest Recommended for your b.ookshelves is An Anthology.£! Ophthalmic Classics, edited with comments, biographicar-notes, and portrait illustrations, by James E. Lebensohn. Publishers: Williams & Wilkins Company, Baltimore. This really is an excellent selection of classics, in Fourteen Sections. Of particular interest are the sections on the Blind Spot of Mariette; Thomas Young, On the MAchanism of Accommodation; von Helmholtz' Description of an Ophthalmoscope; Snellen on Test Types; Bjerrum on the Field of Vision; Franklin on Bifocals; Prentice on num­ bering and measuring prisms. These are just a few of the seventy or more extracts from the classics. The book is beautifully produced and well -2.5- worth having. Recently published is an account by Harry H. Mark, in ~rchives £! Ophthalmology (October, 1970) on the History of the Ophthalmoscope. Mark entitles his article "The First Ophthalmoscope? Adolf Kussmaul 184.5". Kussmaul evidently considered his own instrument the first, despite its shortcomings, for he mentions that ·~y ophthalmoscope was the best in the world for there existed only one--mine, its only disadvanta.ge wss that one could not see with it". Mark makes reference to Purkinje's earlier qontribution (1823) and Helmholtz's work at the mid-century. Mark claims that Kussmaul was the first to research systematically for a way toward viewing the fundus of the living eye, and the first to build an instrument for the purpose. Yet the present editor makes a plea for the Cambridge physicist, Charles Babbage (1792-1871), who also invented an ophthalmoscope in 1847. He showed it to the eminent ophthalmic surgeon, Wharton Jone~who was not encouraging about its potential. When von Helmholtz, however, in 18.51 introduced his own ophthalmoscope, Wharton Jones, with all due respect made public Babbage's contribution--alas, rather late. American Optometric Association's History Committee Maria Dablemont, has sent me the planning sheet of the proposed work envisaged by the American Optometric Association's History Committee. The program can only command admiration for the people involved in the task ahead. Let me list their ambitious objectives: l. 2. 3· 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Planning of a series of single biographies of the great leaders of optometry. Publication of textbooks on history to be used at opto­ metric schools. Compilation of the early works of the Profession's renowned scientists. Preparation of statistics, surveys, and data on optometry's economical and professional growth. Publication of quarterly pamphlets of miscellaneous news covering past historical events and present archival and museum activities. Management and editorship of a serial publication consisting of a short biography of each President of AOA, from the first to the current, which would provide a continuity of history. Restoration of old out-of-print rare books. Supervision of the archives and museum. That is, purchase of equipment for both, salar,r of personnel, book acquisitions, a continuous search for new items in the years and years to come, compilation of collectors, swapping of duplicate collection items,e Management of seminars and lectures on optometric history. (The Medical Library Association has a section composed only of medical histor,r librarians with annual business and educational meetings to further their library techniques and knowledge of the history of medicine.) Encouragement to student optometrists to write papers (prizes should be offered for this) on the history of optometry. J. R. LeveneJ Sditor 1970-01-04-001 1970-01-04-002 1970-01-04-003 1970-01-04-004