XVth Convention of the 
          Julius-Hirschberg-Gesellschaft

          27th - 29th September 2001 Hamburg 

          

          in Connection with the Centenary of the DGGMNT 

          28th Sept. - 1st October 2001

          
        
 
        
Summaries

          

           in Order of the Lecturers' Program 

      

      

       
      

        
 

          

          Gerhard Keerl (Düsseldorf):

          The blind Hussite general Johann Ziska

        

        

        Few and contradictious biographical dates are known about the first 50 
        years of Johann Ziska (Jan Žižka) of Trocznow, the Hussite general 
        in the 15th century. There are no documents concerning the blindness of 
        his first eye. Born about 1360 his political career had begun in 1409, 
        when he became the leader of the rioting “Taborites”. In consequence 
        of the autodafé of the reformer Jan Hus at Constance council 1415 
        fighting against emperor Sigismund, the Roman catholic church and for 
        social reforms, Ziska destroyed nearly all cloisters and several catholic 
        determined villages all over Bohemia. When besieging the castle of Ruby 
        he lost the function of his second eye also. The last three years he commanded 
        his troops in total blindness. Ziska is graded an important general for 
        his inventive tactics. He died by infection in 1424. Besides historic 
        documentation his life is memorised by some heroic poetry.  
        
 Adresse: Dr. med. G. Keerl, Droste-Hülshoffstraße 
          2, 40474 Düsseldorf 

           
        

        Program 
        
 
        

        Franz Daxecker (Innsbruck):

        Johann Georg Fuchs – Medicus, privileg. Oculist and 
        Operateur

        

        

        n a flee-market in Innsbruck I found a copper-plate etching showing a 
        stout, richly dressed man who wears a wig. The inscription on the portrait 
        is: IOHANN GEORG FUCHS MEDICUS PRIVILEG. OCULIST ET OPERATEUR: Aetat. 
        Suae 30. In the corners four shields are depicted: one of Kaiser Karl 
        VI, one of the Prince-bishop Georg Ludwig van Berghen of Luettich, one 
        showing a bull which is the symbol for the Evangelist Lucas. The fourth 
        shield is unclarified, perhaps it is the shield of an abbey in the Diocese 
        of Luettich. On the bottom the Occulist’s shield is depicted, showing 
        his initials and a fox. On the 24th of October 1729 Fuchs made an application 
        to the emporer to receive the “Aerzteprivileg” (the doctor’s 
        privilege) and an exam. He received the privilege on the 5th of November 
        1729 (the original documents are in the Oesterreichische Staatsarchiv). 
        In his application Fuchs listed his knowledge of the art of healing eye 
        diseases, stones, hernia and wounds. He mentioned that he was born in 
        Koblenz (presumably around 1698), that he lived in Brussels and that he 
        was a student of Michael Braun. In 1728 Fuchs had got the permission to 
        practise; this permission was renewed in 1746 before the next Prince-bishop 
        Johann Theodor of Bavaria started his duty. Johann Georg Fuchs did not 
        revolutionize Ophtalmology and his name is not linked with a new technic 
        or a new medical instrument. 
        
Nevertheless it is remarkable that Adalbert 
          Fuchs (1814–1886), the father of the famous Viennese Ophtalmologist 
          Prof. Ernst Fuchs (1851–1930) who was called from Vienna to Luettich, 
          worked in Innsbruck as Professor for Zoology and was Dekan of the Philosophy 
          Department.

          

        Adresse:  Prof. Dr. F. Daxecker, Universitäts-Augenklinik, 
        Anichstraße 35, A-6020 Innsbruck

        

        Program 

         
        
  
          
        

        

        Robert Heitz (Haguenau):

        Subaqueus Ophthalmoscopy

          
        

        

        On November 12, 1704, the medical doctor Jean 
        Méry presented to the French Royal Academy of Sciences, Paris, 
        his observation that if a cat is immersed in water its retinal vessels 
        became visible. On March 20, 1709, Philippe de La Hire pointed out that 
        this was due to the abolition of the corneal refraction.

        Méry’s experiment of eye immersion for fundus visualization 
        was repeated and supplemented later in humans: In 1845 by Adolf Kussmaul, 
        1851 by Johann Nepomuk Czermak for the construction of the orthoscope, 
        and 1891 by Oswald Gerloff, for the earliest successful human publishd 
        fundus photography.( Francais 
        )

        

        Adresse: Dr. med. Dr. phil. R. Heitz, 22 rue de l’Aqueduc, 
        F-67500 Haguenau  

        

        Program

        

         
        
 
        



        Aloys Henning (Berlin):

        On the Changed Approach Extracting the Cataract at the 
        End of the 20th Century

        

        

        In 1750 Jacques Daviel (1712-1762) replaced the ancient cataract couching 
        by his extracapsulary cataract extraction. Still to-day the operation 
        of the cataract is based on his technology. During the last quarter of 
        the 20th century this has become prerequisite to IOL technics. Meanwhile 
        in the last nineties minimalised invasive surgery on the eye has replaced 
        Daviel’s cutting the cornea and frontal opening the eyeball by softer 
        lateral and more punctual invasion as tunnel no stich technics, which 
        make remember the past cataract couching. Modern technologies make the 
        operator act less “aggressive” than at Daviel’s time. 
        
Archaic metaphors oft the eye may illuminate 
          this changing by mythological “pictures” as of blinding Polyphemos 
          cyclops, Oedipus, the “blinding” of pope Leo IIIrd in 798, 
          by pictures of Pablo Picasso. Its rational kernel is based on paleolithical 
          drawings of homo erectus Bilzinglebeniensis, 350.000 years ago.

          

        Adresse: Dr. med. Aloys Henning, Spandauer 
        Straße 104 K, D-13591 Berlin

        

        Program

        

         
        
 
        



        Gerhard Holland (Kiel):

        August Classen (1835–1889) – Ophthalmologist 
        and Philosopher

        

        

        Julius Hirschberg called August Classen the 
        greatest philosopher among the ophthalmologists of the 19th century. He 
        was born in Lübeck, became student of the famous Katharineum, where 
        his father Johannes Classen was professor. This man, later on headmaster 
        of the gymnasium in Frankfurt and then of the Johanneum in Hamburg was 
        a well-known classicist and historian. August Classen studied medicine 
        in Göttingen, Breslau and Frankfurt, he was student of Albrecht von 
        Graefe for three months. In 1856 he became doctor of medicine with the 
        historical treatise “De medicis primorum medii aevii seculorum”. 
        In 1858 he came to Rostock first as assistant of Professor Strempel and 
        then as the only one ophthalmologist in whole Mecklenburg, since 1860 
        as leader of an eye clinic. In 1858 he became assistant professor with 
        the investigation “Examination on the histology of the cornea”. 
        In 1872 he moved to Hamburg and purchased the eye clinic of Schelski. 
        The main reason for going to Hamburg was the establishment of the first 
        professorship of ophthalmology at the university of Rostock under Zehender. 
        Classens scientific interests were mainly the physiology of the visual 
        organ and according to this topic the philosophy of Kant. In 1876 he published 
        his book “Physiology of vision, for the first time founded on Kant´s 
        theory of experience” and ten years later his important work “The 
        influence of Kant on the theory of sensory perception and the certitude 
        of its results”. Besides he was engaged in public health, wrote about 
        houses for workers, about cholera and published a treatise with the title 
        “The eye and its diseases for the educated public of all classes”.

        

        Adresse: Prof. Dr. G. Holland, Esmarchstr. 51, 20 Kiel 

        

        Program 
        
 
        



        Gottfried Vesper (Leipzig):

        The eye-disease of the German painter Ludwig Richter (1803-1884)

        

        

        Ludwig Richter, a famous painter of the 
        romantic movement in Germany, has painted in particular peaceful folk-motives 
        and sceneries. In the era of “Biedermeier” he was the “Bildermann 
        für deutsche Art und Sitte” (man for pictures representing German 
        manner and custom). 
        
About 1858 an eye-disease began to afflict 
          Richter, most probably degenerative alterations of the retina.

          

        Adresse: Dr. med. Gottfried Vesper, 
        Harnackstr.9, D-04317 Leipzig 

        

        Program 
        
 
        



        Frank Krogmann (Thüngersheim):

        Field Marshall Earl of Radetzky and his eye-disease

        

        Beginn of the year 1841, imperial royal Field 
        Marshall Earl of Radetzky suffered from an eye disease. The emperor ordered 
        the professors of ophthalmology Frederick Jaeger (Vienna) and Francis 
        Flarer (Pavia) to consult together about Radetzkys disease. Both diagnosed 
        these as cancerous and incurably. But army-physician Christopher Hartung 
        cured this illness within a few monthes homoeopathic. The success caused 
        a great controversy about benefit from homoeopathy and attention. Hartung, 
        however, got highest respect, especially from patients.

        

        Adresse: F. Krogmann, Kirchgasse 
        6, D-97291 Thüngersheim  

        

        Program 

        

         
        
 
        



        Jutta Herde (Halle):

        The Ophthalmologists Rudolf Schirmer and Otto Schirmer

        

        

        Rudolf Schirmer the son of the Consistorialrat A. Schirmer in Greifswald 
        graduated the secondary school in Greifswald and Schulpforta. After the 
        study of medicine in Göttingen and Greifswald he went on study trips 
        to Vienna, Paris and Berlin, where he qualified to give lectures at the 
        university in 1860. Than he returned to Greifswald and he founded the 
        ophthalmological lessons at the university. At this time the ophthalmology 
        was still a small part of the surgery. R. Schirmer treated patients with 
        eye diseases in a few rooms of the department of surgery. Under his leadership 
        was built the eye hospital in 1887 and he got the chair. He taught ophthalmology 
        until 1893. Rudolf Schirmer died on Januaray 27 1896 of influenca pneumonia. 
        His famous achievements were publications on anomalies of refraction and 
        accomodation, on diseases of the lacrymal system, his practice works and 
        the establishment of the independent ophthalmology at the university in 
        Greifswald. 
        
Otto Schirmer (13.12.1864 – 6.5.1917), 
          the son of R. Schirmer, succeeded his father as chair professor in ordinary 
          of ophthalmology. He was graduated on medicine from universities in 
          Munich, Freiburg and Greifswald. The ophthalmological education he has 
          got in Greifswald, Munich and Göttingen. As a pupil of Leber he 
          was graduated to deliver lectures in 1889. For further education he 
          moved through Königsberg and Halle to return to Geifswald. Here 
          he succeeded the teaching of his father. The second and third chair 
          of ophthalmology he got in Kiel and Straßburg. O. Schirmer emigrated 
          in 1909 to the United States. He died in Brooklyn New York May 5 1917. 
          The outstandig works of Otto Schirmer were the publications “Studien 
          zur Physiologie und Pathologie der Tränenabsonderung und Tränenabfuhr” 
          and “Sympathische Augenerkrankungen”. The famous probe by 
          Schirmer had a forerunner.

          

        Adresse: Prof. Dr. J. Herde, Augenklinik 
        der Martin-Luther Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Magdeburger Straße 
        8, D-06112 Halle

        

        Program  
        

        
 
        



        Dieter Schmidt (Freiburg):

        Carl Wilhelm von Zehender, the “Father of Microsurgery” 
        (1819-1916)

        

        

        Carl Wilhelm von Zehender was born in Bremen on May 21, 1819 into a patrician 
        family from Bern, Switzerland. He studied medicine in München, Jena, 
        Kiel, and Göttingen, and after completing his thesis in 1845, practiced 
        medicine in Göttingen until 1848. After having completed a specialization 
        in ophthalmology in Paris, Prague, and Vienna, he became a Medical Assistent 
        under his highly esteemed teaching Professors Friedrich Jäger (Vienna), 
        and later in Berlin, under Albrecht von Graefe. He became a “Medizinalrat” 
        in 1856 and was appointed to the medical teaching staff as a specialist 
        in Ophthalmology in Neustrelitz. In 1862 he was appointed Professor of 
        Ophthalmology at the University of Bern, and later at the University of 
        Rostock from 1866 to 1889. Carl Wilhelm von Zehender was knighted in 1888. 
        
He was the first ophthalmologist to successfully 
          operate using microscopic magnification. He developed together with 
          the Court Mechanician Heinrich Westien, a binocular magnifying lense 
          (called a “binokulare Cornealupe"”ication. He first reported 
          on this new instrument in 1887.

        
He founded and edited the groundbreaking 
          ophthalmological journal “Klinische Monatsblätter für 
          Augenheilkunde” from 1863 to 1899. Furthermore, he was one of the 
          founders of the renowned Ophthalmological Society of Heidelberg, also 
          editing their congress reports from 1862 to 1895. He was an active participant 
          in international congresses, such as those in Paris (1867), London (1872), 
          Edinburgh (1894).

        
Topics of his numerous published articles 
          include: optics and refraction of the eye, clinical problems, the construction 
          – including improvement – of ophthalmological instruments 
          and examining tools, problems concerning insurance claims after eye 
          injuries; he also published articles on the development of the major 
          ophthalmology clinics in Germany.

        
He died on December 19, 1916 at the age 
          of 97.

        Adresse: Prof. Dr. D. Schmidt, 
        Universitäts-Augenklinik Freiburg, Kilianstraße 5, D-79106 
        Freiburg

        

        Program

        

         
        
 
        



        Hans Remky (München):

        Richard Heinrich Deutschmann (1852-1935)

        Theories and Surgical Treatment of Retinal Detachment

        

        Deutschmann, scientific grand-son of Albrecht von Graefe, since he was 
        a pupil of Theodor Leber, worked from 1887 in Hamburg. His former studies 
        in sympathic ophthalmia performed in Göttingen succeeded in the Graefe 
        award in 1889. In 1893 he founded the internationally recognised series 
        “Beiträge zur Ophthalmologie” with E. Fuchs, Haab and Vossius. 
        
In Hamburg his main interest was the treatment 
          of retinal detachment: in 1890 transsection of vitreal bands and shrinked 
          retina, in 1894 vitreous replacement by prepared vitreous of animals, 
          in 1933 kryopexy. He never agreed totally with Gonin’s theory of 
          the role of retinal breaks in the pathology of retinal detachment. His 
          list of publications concerning detachments ended finally in the year 
          of his death.

          

        Adresse: Prof. Dr. H. Remky, Arabellastr. 
        5–9, D-81925 München 

        

        Program  
        

        
 
        



        Hans F. Piper (Lübeck:

        Unusual procedures for squint operations – a review 
        of the past 150 years

        

        

        In terms of 
        quantity unusual procedures in squint operations had the aim to save tissue, 
        in terms of quality they hoped to achieve near perfect binocularity. Frequently 
        they did not keep what they promised and more often they did not fit into 
        the current stage of development. Suggested procedures were, for example, 
        passive muscle stretching, muscle reattachment, corrections keeping the 
        muscle origin, protection of the conjunctiva, “neurotisation” 
        and use of microscopic and laser techniques. Even recommendations which 
        did not establish themselves fostered the progress in ocular surgery.

        

        Adresse: Prof. Dr. H.-F. Piper, Im Brandenbaumer Feld 32, D-23564 
        Lübeck

        

        Program 
        
 
        



        Daniel Hirsch-Kauffmann Jokl (New York)

        Hirschberg, Germany and Japan – The origin of a special 
        relationship

        

        

        The details concerning the transfer of Julius Hirschberg's library to 
        Professor Komoto and, ultimately, to the University of Tokyo have been 
        detailed by Nakajima and Sasaki (Hist Ophthalmol 1992;5:103-109). 
        
Less known are the orgins of the social 
          relationship between Hirchbergand Japan stemming from his visit there 
          in 1892. Since the liberalization of Japan's trade with the West in 
          1868. German professors has contributed to raising the lever of Japanese 
          medicine to the standard of Germany – then the preeminent country 
          in medicine and science in the world. Professor Komoto, among the first 
          of Japanese ophthalmologists to be trained by Hirschberg both in Japan 
          and Germany, never forgot this honor bestowed upon himself and his country.

        
His efforts to obtain Hirschberg's library 
          for Japan must be viewed in terms of the traditional reverence Japanese 
          have for there teachers – a token of gratitude meant to inspire 
          future Japanese medical generations.

          

        Adresse: Prof. D. Hirsch-Kauffmann 
        Jokl, M.D., New York Medical College, Associate in Ophthalmology, Columbia 
        University, 

        College of Physicians & Surgeons

        

        Program  
        
 
        

        
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