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CORRESPONDENCE 157
refers to "original sources" to sustain its statements, it will prove an original source, for ophthalmologists sufficiently interested to study its subject.
Edward Jackson.
Die skrofulose Augenentzundung (Scrofulous ophthalmia). By Professor Dr. A. Siegrist. Sixty-eight pages, with eight figures in the text, and, in addition, twenty-eight color figures on fourteen plates. Stiff paper covers, price eight marks. Urban and Schwarzenberg, Berlin and Wien, 1931.
On this side of the Atlantic not very many ophthalmic surgeons would think of writing a special treatise on "scrofulous ophthalmia". Perhaps that is partly because we encounter much more rarely than does the European surgeon the type of disturbance which is designated by this title; and partly because we do not use the designation itself so comprehensively as do Professor Siegrist and his colleagues.
The purpose of the monograph is to bring together everything worth knowing for the understanding and treatment of the disease, with the help of numerous entirely realistic plates. (The plates may be had separately for use in the classroom, especially for projection upon the screen.)
Siegrist declares unjustifiable the persistent tendency for many ophthalmologists to apply the name "eczematous" or "phlyctenular" to the condition here discussed.
"It must be recognized as one of the most important diseases of the human visual organ, above all because it is the most frequent morbid affection of the child's eye, and further because, while it commonly occurs in most variable forms, often differing widely, and therefore presents diagnostic difficulties even to the experienced physician, but finally on the ground that the results of this very widespread disease, especially without treatment or after inadequate care, are not uncommonly of extraordinary severity for the whole visual organ and as a rule are too lightly
estimated by laymen and physicians alike."
The plates, excellently drawn and reproduced in colors, include phlyctenules in various locations, corneal ulcers and infiltrations, ribbon keratitis, pannus, corneal opacities, tuberculoma, and "scrofulous" skin conditions accompanying "scrofulous" eye diseases.
The scope of the author's classification is rather clearly indicated by this brief mention of his illustrations.
W. H. Crisp.
CORRESPONDENCE EDITOR, AMERICAN JOURNAL OF
OPHTHALMOLOGY DEAR SIR :
I was greatly interested in the description of the fixation device for ret-inoscopy described in your issue of November, 1931, by Dr. Hough. . . . A substantially similar device, with a full discussion of the principles involved was published in your issue of January, 1927, under the title "The Photoscope". The instrument first presented to your readers in 1927 was subsequently modified, improved and described at various times during the past four years in optical and ophthalmological magazines both here and abroad. The Photoscope has been made in England since 1928, by the Ellis Optical Company, Croy-don, England. . . . The instrument is being made up by one of the largest manufacturers of ophthalmological instruments in this country, and will be available for distribution in the near future. . . . ^T .
Very truly yours, Signed, Joseph I. Pascal, M.D.
EDITOR, AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
DEAR SIR : Your letter and enclosures from Dr.
Pascal were a surprise to me. I have never seen the article in question published in 1927 issue of the Journal as I was not reading it at that time. I do not know now what the photoscope is. I got the idea from two sources. First from a convex rear view mirror on my car secondly from some experiments I
