History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

Ophthalmology 257tion of glasses when required, which is that they are not adjusted on anyscientific principle, but haphazard and that they, or an optician, or ajeweler who may sell spectacles, can select appropriate glasses as well as anoculist. An optician holds the same relation to an oculist as an apothecarydoes to a physician."In the year 1880, Dr. Montgomery as chairman of the Standing Committeeon Ophthalmology, described a case of double optic neuritis occurringfrom a "violent fit of anger" and successfully treated with leeches, potassiumbromide, chloral hydrate, mustard foot baths and laxatives. In asupplemental report, Dr. J.M. Everett of Dixon exhibited a magnet forremoving iron from the eye and reported the discovery of homatropine,a new mydriatic, by Professor Ladenberg of Germany.At the 1882 meeting, Dr. Montgomery "called the attention of the Societyto a card published in the newspapers by A. E. Prince, M. D. Dr.Prince admits that his acts, if not unprofessional have been in bad tasteand calculated to lower the standing of the profession. He further saysthat his attention having been called to the impropriety of his acts, hehas entirely discontinued such publication and that he will in future becareful to observe the code of ethics in its spirit and letter." At this samemeeting Dr. Prince reported as chairman of the Committee on Ophthalmology,attempting to introduce the term "asthenopia atonica" for oculardiscomfort not on the basis of refractive errors or muscle imbalance, andrecommended reading glasses with base in prisms for correction of thecondition.The following year (1883), Dr. Jones presented an inclusive report onophthalmology at the State Society's meeting. He noted that "nothing canbe done to stop the progress of a forming cataract, and that only a surgicaloperation can remove it when formed," an observation which still holdstrue seventy years later. He stated that the use of eserine had not supplantediridectomy for glaucoma. The lack of a cure for retinal detachmentwas decried. Dr. Jones reported that "opticociliary neurotomy has in thelast few years been performed instead of enucleation of the diseased eyeball(in sympathetic ophthalmia) but the result has, in so many cases,been so unsatisfactory that it has been practically abandoned and enucleationof the defective eye is still regarded as the main reliance in cases ofthreatened or existing sympathetic inflammation of its fellow." Attentionhad been called to the occurrence of idiopathic hemorrhage into thevitreous humor of the young, similar tothe recurrent epistaxis which isso frequent at the same period of life. Other topics discussed were therecent introduction of the electric light and possible advantages or disadvantagesto the eye, eye headache, color blindness, exophthalmos, and thelighting of school rooms.