On the threshold radiant exposure for keratitis solaris.

Marked inflammation of the cornea (keratitis solaris) is often observed after exposure to strong solar radiation, especially in high altitudes and snow-covered terrain. Using the action spectrum and the solar spectrum, the radiant exposure causing keratitis solaris was calculated for a horizontal surface. The parameters selected were altitude, season, ozone content and albedo. The radiant exposure of the eye increases approximately 16-fold, comparing terrain without snow-cover and terrain with snow-cover. Radiant exposures in clinically observed cases of keratitis solaris were calculated to range from 1200 to 5600 Jm-2. A discussion on these figures with regard to threshold doses shows a significant difference between long-term exposure to solar radiation and short-term exposure to artificial sources.

Retinoic binding in melanomas of the eye and in normal choroid.

Binding proteins for retinoic acid (cellular retinoid acid binding protein, CRABP), and for vitamin A (cellular retinol binding protein, CRBP) have been demonstrated in various cell types; these binding proteins display the characteristics of receptors. In the present study CRABP and CRBP levels were measured in 9 melanomas of the choroid. CRABP was detected in 2 of the melanomas, whereas CRBP was measurable in 1 melanoma. In comparison samples of normal choroid contained CRABP and CRBP in all cases investigated.

Tolerance of N-chlorotaurine, an endogenous antimicrobial agent, in the rabbit and human eye--a phase I clinical study.

N-chlorotaurine (NCT), an essential weak oxidative N-chloro compound produced by stimulated human leukocytes, shows bactericidal, fungicidal, virucidal and vermicidal efficacy. A double-blind, randomized and placebo controlled study was done to evaluate the tolerance of the aqueous NCT solution by application to rabbit and human conjunctiva. In six rabbits treated with 1% and 3% NCT regimen for nine days no ocular and behaviour changes could be observed. In a pilot study with two volunteers, treatment with 2.8% NCT for five days caused a self-limited conjunctival injection of one subject, while 1% NCT was well tolerated. Subsequently, eight healthy volunteers participated in a phase I clinical study. One percent NCT was applied for five days and was well tolerated by all subjects except for minimal eye burning after the application. Because of these positive results, usage of the antimicrobial agent NCT in ophthalmology is suggested.

[The Jesuit Athanasius Kircher and his organum mathematicum]. / Der Jesuit Athanasius Kircher und sein Organum mathematicum.

P. Athanasius Kircher SJ (1602-1680) was a man of great erudition who carried out research in both the natural sciences and the humanities. He drew one of the first maps of the moon, performed microscopic studies of blood, worked on hieroglyphics and described China. He also invented the so-called Organum mathematicum. The device (located in Florence) has nine compartments containing wooden slats devoted to various mathematical subjects: arthmetic, geometry, fortifications, chronology, horography, astronomy, steganography (encryption) and music.

[An image of Saint Ottilia with reading stones]. / Eine Darstellung der hl. Ottilie mit Lesesteinen.

Reading stones to facilitate reading in cases of presbyopia are mentioned in the literature, for example in the works of the Middle High German poet Albrecht and of Konrad of Würzburg. Most representations of the abbess, Saint Ottilia, show her holding a book with a pair of eyes in her hands. A gothic altarpiece (1485-1490), kept in the museum of the Premonstratensian Canons of Wilten in Innsbruck, Tyrol, shows a triune representation of St. Anne, the mother of the Virgin, with Mary and Jesus and St. Ursula with her companions. St. Ottilia is depicted on the edge of the painting. Two lenses, one on either side of the open book in her hand, magnify the letters underneath. As the two lenses are not held together by bows or similar devices, they are probably a rare representation of reading stones. The alter showing scenes of the life of St. Mary and St. Ursula was done by Ludwig Konraiter. A panel on the same alter, depicting the death of the Virgin, shows an apostle with rivet spectacles.

[The botanist and doctor Pietro Andrea Matthioli]. / Der Botaniker und Arzt Pietro Andrea Matthioli.

The physician Pietro Andrea Mattioli (1500 - 1577) is known for his Italian translation and commentary of the work of the Greek botanist Pedanios Dioscurides: "Di Pedacio Dioscoride Anazerbeo libri cinque ..." (first published in 1544). The physician broadened Dioscurides' studies by including new medicinal plants and numerous detailed woodcuts. In 1554 the fifth edition had already been published: "I Discorsi di M. Pietro Andrea Matthioli Sanese, Medico Cesareo ... Di Pedacio Dioscuride Anacarbeo della materia Medicinale ...". The book was also translated into Latin, French, Spanish, German and Bohemian. Matthioli describes plants, that can be used to treat eye-diseases.

[The surgeon Burghard Breitner. poet or healer?]. / Der Chirurg Burghard Breitner. Dichter oder Heiler?

Burghard Breitner, born on June 10, 1884 in Mattsee (Salzburg state) went to school in Salzburg. From autumn 1901 he studied medicine in Graz and Vienna, where he graduated on 1 (st) of June 1908. In the time of his studies he worked on literature and poetry. But finally he decided to become a surgeon. In World War I Breitner was a prisoner of war (POW) of Russia. During this period he used his medical expertise to help wounded soldiers and the local people. For this honourable gesture he was popularly known as "The Angel of Siberia". From 1932 he was Professor of Surgery in Innsbruck. Mainly he worked on the therapy of goiter. Breitner restructured the department of surgery because of scientific development. In 1951 he was a presidential candidate in Austria in an election, which he did not win. In autumn 1952 he became the Rector magnificus of the University of Innsbruck. Breitner died on 28 (th) of March 1956 in Innsbruck.

Christoph Scheiner's eye studies.

Christoph Scheiner was born in 1573 or 1575. In 1595 he entered into the Order of the Jesuits; he died in 1650. In 1619 his book Oculus, dealing with the optics of the eye, appeared in Innsbruck. The invention of the telescope was of utmost importance for progress in astronomical and physical research. Scheiner himself built telescopes and discovered the sunspots. As a result, an unpleasant priority dispute with Galilei ensued. From 1624 onwards, Scheiner was in Rome, where his main work Rosa Ursina was published in 1630. A part of this book deals with the physiological optics of the eye as well. Some of his discoveries and experiments are taken from these two books: determination of the radius of curvature of the cornea, discovery of the nasal exit of the optic nerve, increase in the radius of curvature of the lens in case of accommodation, Scheiner's procedure (double images with ametropia), refractive indices of various parts of the eye, Scheiner's experiment. Without any doubt, Christoph Scheiner belongs to the foremost scientists of the first half of the 17th century.

[Adrenodacryolith]. / Adrenodakryolith.

In a 67-year-old woman a dacrocystorhinostomy had to be performed because of dacryostenoses. At operation a black adrenodacryolith was found from by topical adrenalin treatment for chronic simple glaucoma. The mineralogical and histological examinations revealed that the dacryolith consisted of organic material only.

Three reading aids painted by Tomaso da Modena in the chapter house of San Nicolò Monastery in Treviso, Italy.

In 1352 the artist Tomaso da Modena depicted three monks with reading aids in the chapter house of San Nicolò Monastery. One of them is wearing rivet spectacles, the second is using a reading glass, and the third has a reading glass on a stand. These rivet spectacles are often quoted in the literature as the first pictorial representation of spectacles, while the reading glass was found in only one reference in the literature with only one illustration, and the reading glass with stand was not found at all.

Further studies by Christoph Scheiner concerning the optics of the eye.

The physician, mathematician and astronomer was born in 1573 in Wald near Mindelheim in Swabia, Germany. He died in 1650 in Neisse in Silesia. He discovered the sun spots and also dealt with the physiological optics of the eye. Further observations of Scheiner's are represented, i.e. from his books Oculus and Rosa Ursina, concerning the anatomy of the eye, the crossing of the beams through a small opening (Camera obscura), stenopeic effect, proof that the crossing of the visual beams takes place in the eye, description of the cataract and its treatment, Christoph Scheiner's eye model, the visual angle, the rotational centre of the eye, the comparison of the optics of the eye and the telescope.

[A new formula for determining the refractive power of intraocular lenses]. / Neue Formel zur Bestimmung der Brechkraft intraokularer Linsen.

New, simplified formulas for calculating the refractive power of intraocular lenses are presented. These formulas were derived by mathematical methods. With the aid of these formulas it is possible to calculate an emmetropizing lens, residual refraction and desired postoperative refraction. The error in other formulas used for eyes with short axial lengths can be avoided with this new formula, due to its linearity.

Representations of eyeglasses on Gothic winged altars in Austria.

The oldest representation of eyeglasses in the German-speaking area is found on the altar of Tyrol Castle in the Museum Ferdinandeum in Innsbruck, Tyrol, on an altarpiece depicting the death of the Virgin Mary (1370-1372). Other representations of eyeglasses are found in Klosterneuburg, Lower Austria, Albrechtsaltar, collegiate collection, death of the Virgin (1439); St. Lorenzen ob Murau, daughter church St. Lorenzen, Styria, Katharinenaltar, Disputation (1455-1460); Pettau (Ptuj), Pokrajinjski Muzej, Slovenia (then belonging to the archbishopric of Salzburg), Conrad Laib, St. Bernardine of Siena with a spectacle case (1460-1465); on two altars by Michael Pacher: Pharisee, Gries near Bolzano (1471-1475), apostle mourning over the death of the Virgin Mary, and St. Luke, St. Wolfgang in Salzkammergut (1481); St. Florian, Upper Austria, collegiate collection, altar of the provost Leonhard Riesenschmid of St. Florian, death of the Virgin (1487); museum of Wilten monastery, Innsbruck, Ludwig Konraiter, St. Ottilie with reading stones and death of the Virgin Mary with reading apostle (1485-1490); Austrian Gallery Belvedere, Vienna, Master of Grossgmain, St. Augustine (1498); Austrian Gallery Belvedere, Vienna, Master of Mondsee, St. Augustine (1490-1500); Diocesan museum Graz, Styria, altar of Hirschegg, death of the Virgin (1503); Krenstetten, Lower Austria, Stefan-Altar, Disputation (1500-1520); Museum Ferdinandeum, Innsbruck, Matheis Stöberl, Jesus and the scribes with a spectacle case (early 16th century).

[Partial evulsion of the optic nerve caused by a bullet (author's transl)]. / Partielle Evulsio nervi optici durch Pistolenschuss.

Partial evulsion of the optic nerve is observed in very few cases. How difficult a diagnosis can be, and the possible causes of such an injury, are discussed.

[Hereditary angioedema: pathogenesis, ophthalmological significance, diagnosis and therapy (author's transl)]. / Komplementdefekt beim hereditären Angioödem als Ursache von Lidödemen.

Hereditary angioedema is caused by a deficiency of the C 1 esterase inhibitor (a component of complement). It is manifested by attacks of swelling of the extremities, face, eyelids, trunk, respiratory tract or abdominal viscera. The ophthalmological significance, diagnosis, symptoms and treatment of the condition are discussed.