NEWSLETTER OF THE OPTOMETRIC HISTORICAL SOCIETY OPTOMETRY UBfuj, MAY .. 6 nJ16 INDIAN;~ DNIVERS!TY (7000 Chippewa Street, Saint Louis, Missouri, U.S.A. 63119) Volume 7 April, 1976 Number 2 1895 correspondence course: The first of a projected historical optometric series of limited­ edition books is DR. THOMSON'S 1895 CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN OPTICS, with historical commentary by Monroe J. Hirsch, published by Professional Press, Chicago, Illinois, 1975. It is a book that any optometrist who appreciates his professional heritage will love to own. To own it and show it will be an elegant and dig~ified way to convey one's pride in optometry's development. It also makes fascinating reading, not only the very extensive commentary by Hirsch, which is a fine overview of the ophthalmic-optometric literature at the turn of this century, but also the 20 lessons, with 333 questions, and answers. Dr. H.A. Thomson was president of the South Bend Coll~ge of Optics, South Bend, Indiana, where the same text was used by students in attendance. The tuition then was $50.00, the same as the price of the present volume. Dr. Brown's scrap book: O.H.S. member James P. Leeds, O.D., wrote as follows on March 8: "Just got in something I have to share with someone. I have what I think is the scrap-book of Dr. C.H. Brown (of The Philadelphia Optical College and the author of 'The Optician's Manual,' etc.). It has all the ads he ran for his school and clinic from 1890-1934, or so. He had classes, correspondence courses, and around 1899 something called the 'Phila. Optical Parlor.' Most interesting. "I'm not.sure what I should do with this, but I felt I had to let you know about it. Any ideas?" I called Jim promptly, and made tentative arrangements to see this within the next few months, so I can write up a few comments in the Newsletter. We agreed it should go to the International Library, Archives, and Museum of Optometry in due time. Poul Christensen collection: My visit last November to the home, and office, of Mr. Poul Christensen, whose report on Danish optometry appeared in the January issue, was a most exciting experience. He owns an old Danish homestead in the very pastoral -14- community of Grevinge, with the base structure of a very old windmill in his back yard. He has added a modern building with guest rooms and office space for his editorial work and for his extensive industrial vision testing program. Not only is Mr. Christensen himself a walking history, but he has faithfully saved books, documents, and optometricana at every oppor­ tunity during his career. My hastily scribbled notes indicate, for example, that he has an almost complete set of Optikeren, Maanedsblad for Optik, beginning with Vol. 1, No. 1, December 1934, and ending with Volume 28, No. 2, in 1962. One of the very early issues included a photograph of Tscherning in his lab. To my surprise, I learned that Tscherning was a Dane! Mr. Christensen also has almost every issue of the Keystone Magazine of Optometry from 1909 to 1921, and a number of early issues of the Wellsworth Merchandiser and of Anoptico. Another gem in his collection was a book, in Danish, entitled LYSETS NATURLAERE af (by) c. Holten, Kj~benhaven, C.A. Reitzels forlag, 1861. This is a volume of 348 pages, 292 figures, no preface, no table of contents, and no explanation of who Holten was. It is easy to recognize the book as an extensive monograph on visual optics. Danish Optometry in 1931: "Refraktionsbestemmelse og Brilletilpasning" is the title of a 344 page highly technical volume published in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1931 by the Dansk Uhrmanger-Centralforening, in the Danish language, of course. The authors are Drs. Walter Mindt and Edmund Weiss, both of the School for Optiks and Phototechnique in Berlin, Germany. The translation into Danish was made by C.L. Skjoldbo. The publication was sponsored by Danish Watchmakers Association, if my reading of Danish is correct. As the title suggests, the book deals entirely with refractive analysis and techniques and the fitting of spectacles. Included are 260 figures and an appendix of 113 problem questions and answers. The printing was limited to 2,000 numbered copies, the copy in hand being No. 1,852. Now a rare book, and believed to be the first optometry book in the Danish language, this volume was presented to me for the American Optometric Association library by the Optikerfagets Faellesudvalg, a joint committee of optometrists, and appropriately inscribed by the chairman and several members. Statue of F.C. Danders: ---~==;;;.. Though I have traveled through the city of Utrecht, The Netherlands, three times, it always happened on a Saturday, Sunday, or after 17:00 hours, and my time was limited, so I could not find the famous statue of Franz Cornelis Danders. Finally, after I returned home, I wrote the Utrecht Tourist Information Office and learned that the statue is situated in Janskerhof, and that the sculptor was Toon Dupuis. -15- From the small street map sent to me I would say that the statue is less than 15 minutes walk, due east, from the Utrecht Central Station (railroad). One should leave the east, principal, exit of the station and proceed north approximately the length of the station building itself. Then proceed eastward across or over a highway complex to enter an eastward continuing sequence of streets successively named Vredenburg, Lange Viestraat, Potterstraat, and Lange Jansstraat, which enters a park or court area called Janskerhof. The Donders statue should be in view at this juncture. Of course, if you arrive in Utrecht on a week day during regular office hours you can get a iourist's map at the tourist's information office at the train station. The statue is mentioned in the brochure I received as one of about 25 things to see in a 2-hour hike in the inner city. Obviously, a taxi driver could get you there easily. Please send me copies of any photographs you take of the statue. I tried to find a picture postcard of the statue in the brief time I was at the station, changing trains, but without luck. About Dr. Emil-Heinz Schmitz: In the January 1973 issue of the O.H.S. Newsletter (Vol. 4, No. 1, p. 12) I commented on some of the fine historical writing by Dr. Schmitz. A year or so ago O.H.S. Vice President Henry Knoll, Mrs. Knoll (Pat), and their son Chris spent an afternoon and evening visiting Dr. Schmitz in his new home in Hagelberg, a small village northeast of Lorrach, not far from Basel, in the southwest corner of West Germany. Dr. Schmitz does not speak English,· but Mrs. Schmitz speaks English quite well. Between Dr. Knoll's American German and Mrs. Schmitz's German English, the Knolls enjoyed the visit immensely. Knoll reports that Schmitz has a wide range of interests, among which optics has slipped into a low priority spot. He is by profession an optician, a physicist, and a lawyer. The written word has been among his hobbies since early youth. He has written poems, narratives, and novels. His political contributions were always associated with a clear conception of the world (Weltanschauung) and a goal-directed plan. The theater is his second passion. This explains his partiality for full­ sounding language. Dr. Emil-Heinz Schmitz was born in Westphalia (Dortmund) in north­ west Germany. As a result of his participation in sports (he was a successful light athlete and tennis player) and his many-sided professional interests he soon became familiar with all of Germany as well as the adjacent countries. His bias for the south of Germany is obvious. To be sure, his military experience as an infantryman was spent in the east. He has lived most of his later years in Lorrach. The Black Forest has become for him a second home. -16- Hubert Hamilton Rosser, O.D. (1890-1972): Among the items received by the International Library, Archives, and Museum of Optometry are the applications, permits, and related correspondence from the late Dr. Rosser's files showing that he applied for and was granted permission by the Treasury Department to procure "five wine gallons of alcohol per annum." This was in 1932! The permit authorized him to "withdraw and use alcohol for sterili­ zation, laboratory and other nonbeverage purposes in the professional practice of Optometry." In longhand pencil in the margin of one of the permit forms is the scribblednotation, "Old Horsey $30.00 12 pts" The specified storage space was typed in, simply, "in office under lock and key." Who was Dr. Rosser? The 1972 Directory of the American Optometric Association shows him a 1915 graduate of Philadelphia Optical College, a member of AOA from 1920 on, a Kiwanian, a Mason, and a recipient of several organizational plaques for long service. He was in solo practice, general optometry, in York, Pennsylvania. These papers and a number of other items which once belonged to Dr. Rosser were donated to the I.L.A.M.O. by Lyle M. Cruse, O.D., of the same city. Of what significance are these papers to optometric history? I really do not have a clue, but I do know that bits and pieces of information like this often become the elements of historical docu­ mentation. Besides, they prod my imagination. Denny paid his debts promptly: A previous mention of the late Roy E. Denny, O.D. (Vol. 6, No. 2, April 1975, p. 27) prompted O.H.S. member J.J. Abrams, O.D., to send us two yellowed papers which he found among some of the materials he acquired from Dr. Denny's office effects. One is a letter dated March 14, 1927, from an Indianapolis attorney to "Mr. Roy E. Denny" stating briefly that he had an itemized list of damage costs resulting from an automobile collision on January 30 in Anderson, Indiana, in which, we may presume, Dr. Denny was at fault. The other paper is a legal statement of receipt of payment of $87 for "repair of car," $3 for "pulling in of car," and $5 for "doctor bill for injury to my wife," dated March 18, 1927. The simplicity of composition of the letter and of the receipt, and the promptness of payment not only speaks well for Dr. Denny, a model citizen, but also speaks well for the times. Presidents' glasses: Former presidents of the Philippines ware the following prescriptions, according to Claro M. Cinco, O.D., Osvel Building, Jones Avenue, Cebu City, Philippines: -17- President Ramon Magsaysay O.D. +1.25 sph O.S. +1.00 8 -0.25 X 155° single vision, for reading only President Sergio Osmena O.D. +1.00 8 -0.50 x goo O.S. +1.25 8 -0.75 X goo add: O.U. +2.25; white, kryptok President Carlos P. Garcia o.D. +2.25 8 -1.00 x goo O.S. +2. 75 8 -1.00 X 110° Add: O.U. +2.50; flat-top, white Dr. Cinco, editor of the OAP Newsletter, has the above eyeglasses in his collection. OAP, incidentally, is the abbreviation for the Optometric Association of the Philippines. "Midas" railroader Wheelock: My comments on the late Arthur P. Wheelock, O.D., as a railroad owner, in our January issue, prompted the following letter from Arthur's very close friend, D.G. Hummel, O.D., of North Royalton, Ohio (written in longhand in spite of a recent hand injury). "During the last war, when at times it was difficult to get train space I had no difficulty. All I did was show my card, as 'visual consultant', for the Cassville & Exeter R.R. "Incidentally, Art showed me pictures of the R.R. at the time he bought it. The farmers had strung barbed wire across it and added the space to their own. To my know­ ledge Art put the R.R. on its feet, sold it for more than he paid, and enjoyed the experience, -- which led to his further R.R. experience, by request. "He was a remarkable man, the last male direct decendent of old Reverend Wheelock the founder of Dartmouth. "The inventor of the project-o-chart and some optical lenses, this Midas was a truly remarkable person. He has never, except from a few of us, received appreciation for his Academy work. I believe Art held the presidency, with one exception, the longest of anyone. "I am sure you know most of this, but it is my pleasure to write it." -18- Corneal contour studies: "An annotated bibliography on corneal contour" is the title of a 20 page monograph by Lucia Ronchi and Simonetta Stafanacci, No. 28 of a series published by Fondazione "Giorgio Ronchi," Florence, Italy, 1975. The authors aim to produce "a view of the efforts made during the past two centuries to record the shape of the cornea." Each of 86 chronologically listed references is abstracted in terms of what was accomplished in better understanding of the contour of the human cornea. The first reference is to Scheiner in 1619, the second to Ramsden in 1976, the third to Young in 1801, the fourth to Senff in 1846, the fifth to Donders in 1864, and the sixth to Helmholtz in 1867. The last three, all in 1974, are Millodot and Lamont, Lotman and Lotman, and Guidarelli. The frequency of articles on the topic appears to have been increasing logarithmically, suggesting that during the next half century we can expect about 250 more publications on the corneal contour! Fondazione Giorgio Ronchi: Inside the front cover of each monograph published by the above­ named foundation is an explanation of the foundation's establishment, in Italian. M.A. Marvelli, O.D., of Galesburg, Illinois, kindly translated this statement from above cited monograph No. 28, as follows: "GEORGIO RONCHI" Foundation (Charter Corporation) This is an educational institution created by the Ronchi family to honor the memory of a thirteen year old youngster killed by a German grenade the evening of August 26, 1944 in the mountain pass of Arcetri. The purpose of this institution is to foster and promote the· spread of knowledge in the discipline of optics, the history of optics, and allied sciences. Also, to foster and synthesize information directly or indirectly related to the field of optics and the history of science. Its seat is in Florence-Arcetri, Largo Enrico Fermi, 1. (Italy) Currently it holds scientific meetings customarily the first and third Tuesday of every month. A periodical is published called "Writings from the Foundation GeorgioRonchi with Contributions from the National Institute of -19- Optics," with original papers predominately in the field of optics and its applications. It has been twenty-nine years from 1946 to 1974. 1934 Contact Lenses to ILAMO: ---- -- In the April 1975 issue of this Newsletter, pp. 26-27, I mentioned a press clipping describing a pair of contact lenses made for John s. Clark of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, in 1934. At the same time I wrote Mr. Clark urging him to make certain that these got placed in a good museum. Nine months later I received a very gracious response from Mr. Clark stat~ng that he had decided to offer these lenses to the International Library, Archives, and Museum of Optometry, Inc. I forwarded his letter to ILAMO Librarian/Archivist Maria Dablemont, she formally called him by telephone, and now he is forwarding to her not only the lenses but also a bit of the history behind them, with photographs and newspaper articles! About 30 years of contact lenses: Dr. Henry A. Knoll has done a little digging just for fun and came up with the following paragraphs in a recent letter: "Dear Hank: "Being one who likes to deal in round numbers (like 30), I recently started to think about where the contact lens field was thirty years ago. As you may recall this was just before Kevin Tuohy introduced the corneal contact lens. In an address given in Los Angeles in 1952 (Opt. Jrl. and Rev. Optom., 90, #17, 43, September 1, 1953) he speaks of six years of wearing them himself. ·That tells us that he started wearing corneal contact lenses in 1946 -- just thirty years ago. "I recall that it was just thirty years ago that I made my first visit to The Ohio State University and met the optometry faculty. It was at that time that I met you and Jane for the first time! The result of that visit was my enrollment in graduate studies in physiological optics and my introduction to the ophthalmic world. I have a very clear recollection of watching Charlie Bridgman wielding spatula and rubber mixing bowl in preparation for making corneal molds. (I have not seen a notice of Charlie's passing. Have you seen one?) Vince Ellerbrock and Mat Alpern were also involved in the contact lens work at that time. -20- "Looking at the 1946 volume of the American Journal of Optometry and Archives of American Academy of Optometry I found that there were six original papers and six abstracts published relating to contact lenses. The authors familiar to me were John C. Neill, Clifford Hall, Arthur Hoare,·William Feinbloom, Frank Dickinson, and Solon Braff. Names new to me were E.J. Cain, Samuel W. Silverstein, Robert J. Roth, D. Kadesky, and J.S. Nupuf. "One of the abstracts, (D. Kadesky, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Monthly, 24, #11, 524-527, 1945) relates that of the 100 patients reported on, 'two patients were unable to wear the lenses: 12 patients could wear them but two hours at a time: 36 patients could wear them only four hours: 17 patients could wear them only five hours: 12 patients could wear them only six hours: 12 patients could wear them eight hours: six patients could wear them ten hours and three patients could wear them from 10 to 14 hours.' "The paper by Robert Roth dealt with the pH and osmotic pressure of contact lens solutions. As you recall there was a great deal of work going on trying to find the ideal solution to use with the sclerals. This subject got a lot of coverage in the period leading up to 1946. See for example the texts and manuals mentioned below. "The contact lens ads in the 1946 Academy journal are of interest. Five laboratories placed ads: Feinbloom Contact Lenses, Inc., New York, New York, Obrig Laboratories, Inc., New York, New York, Precision Contacts, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Freeman Laboratories, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, and Solex Laboratories, Inc., Los Angeles, California. The Solex ad offers a new name for the science of prescribing and adapting contact lenses: Optepaphy, from the Greek optikos meaning ocular, and epaphi meaning contact. "Ads were also placed by Obrig and Precision Contact in the Archives of Ophthalmology for 1946. In addition ads were also entered for two more laboratories: National Contact Lens Corp., and Contact Lens Service, Inc., both giving a New York City address. "Unfortunately the advertising portions of the 1946 American ·Journal of Ophthalmology are missing from our collection. Checking the 1945 and 1947 volumes I find entries as in the case of the Archives with the addition of The Jenny Optical Company, Boston, Massachusetts. In the 1945 volume I came across one ad for 'Contact Lens Solution, Stable - Isotonic - Buffered,' Tozer's Pharmaceutical Chemists, Everett, Washington. "There were no original articles in the two ophthalmological volumes for 1946. There were, however, six abstracts. Three -21- were from the European literature and three were from journals published in Mexico. The authors were S. Gyorffy, A. Mihalyhegi, Daniel Silva, J. Soto Eciolaza and Olivella Casals, and Maximiliano Weiman. "What texts were available in 1946? I am not able to give you a complete list, but here are the titles from our collection·. Contact Lensee by Theodore E. Obrig, First Edition, 1942. I believe a second edition appeared in 1946 (co-authored by Philip L. Salvatori), but we do not have this edition. We do have the third edition which appeared in 1957. Techniques of Fitting Contact Lenses by Albert L. Anderson (Associate owner of Precision Contacts), 1944. Contact Lens Technique by L. Lester Beacher, 1941. We also have the third edition, dated 1944. This edition was published by the New York Contact Lens Research Laboratories, New York, New York. The Practice of Fitting Contact Lenses, By William Feinbloom, 1942. "While checking on the above I also came across a very interesting publication: Proceedings, Contact ~Meeting, under the sponsorship of the Society for the Advancement of Contact Lens Research, October 13, 1944, Palmer House, Chicago, Illinois. This meeting was arranged by Obrig Laboratories, Inc. At the conclusion of the meeting a steering committee was appointed which was charged with setting the guidelines for the Society. I've not been able to find out whether the Society ever met again. I'm in the process of making some inquiries to see what became of the Society for the Advancement of Contact Lens Research. "The speakers at this one-day meeting were Philip L. Salvatori, Hugh L. Hunter, Albert L. Anderson, Allan Rossby, Robert J. Roth, Harry Hind, America Oriani, Ewing Adams, Theodore E. Obrig, Ralph Lowry, Edwardo Amoretti (of Argentina, paper read by Philip Dempsey), and William Sneider. "As the old saying goes -- a lot of water has gone under the bridge -- we've come a long way. These days when you pick up a journal, there is a good chance that there will be a contact lens article between the covers. On the other hand we still have a lot to learn. I wonder what the next thirty years will bring. "Sincerely yours, "Hank" A Professor Charles S. Bridgman obituary, which Dr. Knoll asked about, is in the April 3, 1975 issue of the Optometric Weekly, Vol. 66. No. 11, p. 315. -22- New information about Lincoln's glasses: A news item picked up by Earl Dablemont in a February issue of Newsweek informs us that in 1937 the now deceased granddaughter of Abraham Lincoln donated to the u.s. Library of Congress a sealed case containing the contents of Lincoln's pockets after his assassi­ nation. The sealed case was discovered by current librarian Daniel Boorstin when he took office last November. At a Lincoln's birthday ceremony in February, Boorstin opened the case and revealed the contents. Included in the collection were two pair of wire-rimmed spectacles. Maria Dablemont immediately called the Library of Congress and learned that the spectacle case included the name or names of District of Columbia opticians. Further details will be reported here as soon as Mrs. Dablemont can get them. Newton reinforced: The front cover of the January 16, 1976, issue of Science, Vol. 191, No. 4223, is a full-page reproduction of the title page of the 1704 edition of Isaac Newton's Opticks. Prompting this front cover illustration is an article by Marc H. Bornstein, William Kessen, and Sally Weiskopf, pp. 201-202, entitled "The Categories of Hue in Infancy." They reported that "4-month-old infants respond to differences in wavelength as though they perceived categories of hue -­ blue, green, yellow, and red," which is what Newton himself observed. In the Leeds collection: - -- .;:;:..:;;..;;;....;;;;.:;;.. ===== James P. Leeds, O.D., 2470 East !16th Street, Carmel, Indiana, 46032, reports several intriguing titles in his book collection, as follows: Burchardt, Dr. Max, Praktische Diagnostik der ~imulationen von GefllhlslMhmung, von Schwerhorigkeit und von Schwachsichtigkeit (Practical diagnosis of simulation of loss of touch sense, deafness, and amblyopia), 1875. Wick, K., Uber Simulation Blindheit und Schwachsichtigkeit und deren Entlarvung (concerning the simulation of blindness and amblyopia and its detection), 1907. Retina, G.H., Der Optikermeister (The master optician), Berlin, 1928. Schi~tz,,H.J., 0iets Refraktionstilstande (I do not have a Norwegian dictionary, but my wild guess is that this is ocular refraction tests). -23- The first two being concerned with malingering suggest that malingering was a significant problem, perhaps in relation to military service, even in Bismarck's day. Author Wick, according to Dr. Leeds, was the grandfather of Ralph E. Wick, O.D., of Rapid City, South Dakota. I wonder if author Retina was ever mentioned in Ripley's Believe it .2!. ~ series. Yes, Dr. Leeds, these are fascinating, and to me quite unfamiliar. I too, want to make a prolonged visit to your office to browse through your outstanding optometric book collection. Another bicentennial bit: Activities of ophthalmic opticians in the 18th century are described in considerable detail in an article entitled ''Manchester optics" by Hieronymous in the January 24 issue of the Ophthalmic Optician, Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 74-75. Another bicentennial clue? A Christmas and New Year greeting card from Dr. Gunter Ueberschaar, who teaches optometry at the Jena, East Germany, school, featured an early artist's illustration of a young man scratching his head as though puzzled and carrying a basket filled with what appear to be telescopes and other optical components. His right foot is up on a rock, and near his other foot are some pieces of wood that seem to be surveyor's or draftsman's tools or supports. A letter of inquiry to Dr. Ueberschaar brought the prompt reply that it is copied from a print on which the legend is "Perspektivhandler. Gezeichnet: J.C. Brand. Gestochen: C. Schutz. 1755" {Field glass peddler, sketched by J.C. Brand, and cut by C. Schutz, 1755). There appear to be many details in the picture which, if viewed in the original full size, might well tell us something about optics in the middle of the 18th century. Reprints received: The newly appointed publications director (Verlagsleiter) of the Suddeutsche Optikerzeitung (usually abbreviated SOZ), Mr. Harmut H. Schaedel, sent me two monographs and seven photocopies of articles by Kurt Muller from SOZ, all concerned with optometric his'tory, as follows: -- Schmitz, Emil-Heinz, Die Sehhilfe im Wandel der Jahrhunderte (visual aids through the centuries), Verlag Sttddeutsche Optikerzeitung, Stuttgart, Germany, 1961, 143 pages. Kugn, Gerhard, and Wolfgang Roos, Sieben Jahrhunderte Brille (seven centuries of eyeglasses), Deutsches Museum Abhandlungen und Berichte, Vol. 36, No. 3, 1968, 91 pages, Verlag R. Oldenbourg, Munchen. -24- MUller, Kurt: "Joseph von Fraunhofer als Brillenfabrikant" (Fraun­ hofer as a spectacle maker) SOZ, Vol. 17, 1962, PP. 614-615. - , "Ein Leseglas vor 3500 Jahren" (A reading lens of 3500 years ago), SOZ, Vol. 23, No. 1, January 15, 1968, p. 48. "Sehpriifung vor 3000 Jahren" (Optometry 3,000 years ago), SOZ, Vol. 23, 1968, p. 164. "Die Geschichte des Zielfernrohrs" (History of tele­ scopic gunsights), SOZ, Vol. 16, No. 10, October 15, 1961, pp. 518-524. "Wie wurde die Brille in alter und neuer Zeit getragen?" (How were eyeglasses supported in ancient and modern times?), SOZ, Vol. 19, No. 5, May 15, 1964, pp. 288 & 290. "Hat es in Niirnberg eine Brillenmacherzunft gegeben?" (Was there really a spectacle makers guild in NUrnberg?), SOZ, Vol. 16, No. 1, January 15, 1961, pp. 38-39. "Die Taucherbrillen des Leonardo Da Vinci" (Leonardo Da Vinci's diving glasses), SOZ, Vol. 16, No. 8, August 15, 1961, pp. 442-443. Also gratefully received: From O.H.S. member Jack M. Weber, O.D., a copy of "The Conservation of Vision and Modern Optometry," authored and published by the American Optical Company, Southbridge, 1912 (15 pages). This, too, has been added to the holdings of the International Library, Archives, & Museum of Optometry. In the right places: Next time you visit Washington, D.C., and happen to spend a bit of time at the Library of Congress, you might enjoy checking the serials catalog for this Newsletter. I do not know whether it is filed under "N" or "O", or both, but it should be there. Our attentive OHS Secretary/Treasurer has sent a copy of every issue of the newsletter to the Exchange and Gift Division of the Library .of Congress. Early American Specs: This is the title of a recently received book by L.D. Bronson, O.D., published by the Occidental Publishing Company, Glendale, California 91204, 1974, 188 pages ($12.95). Time has not permitted your editor the opportunity to review it for this issue. -25- Hermann Pistor (1875-1951): In professional optometric/ophthalmic optical circles in the Germanic countries and even in neighboring European countries the name of Hermann Pistor is as familiarly, fondly, and almost reverently, mentioned as are names like Sheard or Prentice in the U.S.A. or George Giles in England. His lOOth birthday anniversary was accorded special ceremony last year in Cologne, West Germany, and in Jena and Sonneberg, East Germany. A major higher level school in Sonneberg bears his.name, as does also the Augenoptik school in Jena. The Cologne Augenoptik school considers its curricular design to be in compliance with Pistor's concepts and honors him accordingly. His birthplace in Sonneberg (September 6, 1875) bears a memorial plaque, and his portrait is displayed in many a former student's office as well as in several public places. His students honored him with the nickname "Pius." The city of Jena made him an Honorary Citizen on his 75th birthday, and celebrated the occasion with pomp and ceremony that continued for hours and hours into the night. In earlier years he had been given honorary membership in the British, Netherlands, and Belgian ophthalmic optical associations. Through his publications, his lectures, his leadership, and administrative abilities he had become the guiding spirit of the Jena school which he helped to staff when it was founded in 1918. He was appointed Director a few months later and held that post until retirement. During these years the school acquired an international reputation unmatched by any other school before World War II and perhaps never matched since. Much of his philosophy of optometry as a science-based profession was dissipated in the changes in govern­ mental and educational structure which evolved on the Continent during and immediately following the war years, but nostalgic memory still persists among not a few. Indeed, his early influence may again be emerging as the profession in Europe is beginning to recover from the set-backs of almost a third of a century. He died on October 1, 1951. His funeral on October 4 was accom­ panied by the Je.na Cultural Orchestra, a parade of speakers, and the chimes of Jena churches. Much of the above information, and a great deal more, is included in a splendid centennial memorial article entitled "Hermann Pistor zum Gedanken" by G. Roher in Augenoptik, Vol. 93, No. 1, Jan.-Feb. 1976, pp. 3-4. Jesse Wolff, O.D. (1888-1975): The death of O.H.S. member Jesse Wolff brought an end to a long and productive career, as may be noted by a reading of his biographical entry in the 1972 Directory of the American Optometric Association. His death notice in the St. Petersburg (Florida) Times mentioned that he, -26- "devised the cross-cylinder test, a means of exam1.n1.ng eyes at the reading distance. He was the first to use the test, and he designed the mechanical means of making the examination, which is used universally on all refraction." The above-cited Directory also mentions an article he published on "Cross Cylinders in New Tests." Presumably the term "cross cylinders" in these instances refers to their use in measuring accommodation at near, not to be confused with the term "crossed cylinders" usually referring to the use of a single crossed-cylinders lens to determine astigmatic power and axis at distance. Because Dr. Wolff's death occurred while I was out of the country, I have not seen his obituary in a professional journal, which might well confirm or contradict this tentative interpretation. Dr. Morgret heard from: While trying to wrap up the final copy for this issue I was somewhat simultaneously, but mostly intermittently, watching and listening to the television broadcasts of Indiana University's national championship basketball game. My excitement over winning was capped by a surprise telephone call from a longtime friend Dr. Frank Morgret to congratulate Indiana through me, the only person he happened to know on this campus. Not an optometrist, but formerly the Admissions Director at Southern College of Optometry and co-author of a widely used text for ophthalmic optics courses, Dr. Morgret is presently retired but very active in freelance writing. He says he is "busier than ever." His address, incidentally, is 257 Palisade, Memphis, Tennessee 38111. O.H.S. election results: An occasional ballot still comes in, but the virtually instant responses, and even those that have come in a bit more leisurely, overwhelmingly, and so far unanimously, re-elect Maria Dablemont to a second five-year term on the five-person Executive Board. Her term now extends to December 31, 1980. As soon as no possible doubt remained, our Secretary-Treasurer's assistant, Sandra Smith, processed ballots to the five members of the Executive Board, James R. Gregg (1976), Sol Tannebaum (1977), John R. Levene (1978), Henry A. Knoll (1979), and Maria Dablemont (1980), for the election of officers for 1976. They promptly re-elected the encumbents, as follows: Levene as President, Knoll as Vice-President, and Dablemont as Secretary-Treasurer. O.H.S. finances: The funds on hand as of December 31, 1975, included $1,448.41 in a savings account, $138.61 in a checking account, and $79.04 in petty cash, totaling $1,666.06. H.W. Hofstetter, Editor 1976-07-02-001 1976-07-02-002 1976-07-02-003 1976-07-02-004 1976-07-02-005 1976-07-02-006 1976-07-02-007 1976-07-02-008 1976-07-02-009 1976-07-02-010 1976-07-02-011 1976-07-02-012 1976-07-02-013 1976-07-02-014