Aloys Henning (Berlin)
Astronomical Abstractions of Homo erectus bilzingslebenensis 370000
Years ago

In 2001 at the 15th Convention of JULIUS-HIRSCHBERG-GESELLSCHAFT in Hamburg
and in 2002, when the ophthalmological section of the Berlin Museum of History of
Medicine was opened by the 100th Convention of the German Ophthalmological Society
(DOG), the author has commented the universal lunar semiotics of the eye by the fact,
that 370 000 years ago in Thuringia paleolithic non-sapiens men have drawn a 28-fold
lunar calendar on an elephant‘s shin-bone.
Its design by lines, ascending from a nearly horizontal level to 90 degrees and then
again descending, which apparently correspond with the in- and decreasing illuminated
area of the moon, opens an astonishing insight into the intellectual ability of that
hominid, who is seen as first man in our view of history of culture (Mania 1998). Trying
to understand the paleolithic homo erectus’s intellectual endeavour to stabilize his
ecological situation by calendar we may possibly find an essential historical insight into
the lunar connotation of the eye, accompanied by important conclusions.

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


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Gerhard Keerl (Düsseldorf)
The Book of Tobit – an Apocryphal Story

around his loss of sight and recovery The central event in the Book ofTobit is Tobits
getting blind and his being cured. Together with about 13 other chapters from
prechristian times it is listed up in the ”Apocrypha" and has been canonised by the
Roman – Catholic Church. Believers have to accept the "Canon" as Divine Revelation,
and since 1546 (Council of Trient) including the Apocrypha. Nevertheless, their
ecclesiastical value has been discussed controversially since more than those
twothousand years from their originating. Especially, as to be shown, by the Reformed
Churches. The Apocrypha never have formed a part of the Hebrew Scriptures.
Fortunately for us, the Reformer Luther, when translating the Bible into German (1534),
came upon a compromising construction. Instead of cancelling the apocryphal chapters
he refused to add them to the Canon but formed together with some explanations a
special appendix to the Old Testament. What is important: thus we still have Tobits
Book translated from its primary orgin in Greek. Therefore we know Luthers wrong
translation of that special word, which made Tobits blindness caused by cataract
("Star"). Inconscious of Luthers mistake, about onehundred years later, the Dutch
painter Rembrandt used in his paintings and drawings the proceedure of cataract
("Staar") surgery when Tobit was cured. There is another interesting sideeffect. For his
specific connections to one of his temporary surgeons we are happy to know details
about techniques which had been performed in Amsterdam of Rembrandt's days.

Dr. med. G. Keerl, Droste-Hülshoffstraße 2, D-40474 Düsseldorf


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Franz Daxecker (Innsbruck)
The Medicinal Herbes for Eye-Diseases in the Viennese Dioskurides

The Viennese Dioskurides, a valuable manuscript, was written in the year 512 A.D. It is
dedicated to princess Juliana Anikia. The manuscript contains descriptions and
illustrations of 383 medicinal herbes, minerals and animals in alphabetical order. Most
of them were taken from “De materia medica”, the standard work of the physician
Dioskurides Pedanios (first century A.D.). Some of the herbes were in use as treatment
for eye-diseases: Pheasent‘s eye (Adonis autumnalis L., fam. Ranunculaceae) soothes
inflammation. Calamus (Acorus calamus L., fam. Araceae) cures the pupil. Red Horned-
Poppy (Glaucium corniculatum Curt., fam. Papaveraceae) for beginning eye-diseases.
Wild Celery (Apium graveolens L., fam. Apiaceae) for inflammation. Wild Lettuce
(Lactuca serriola L., fam. Asteraceae) is good for corneal ulcus. Common Fumatory
(Fumaria officinalis L., fam. Fumariaceae) strenghtens visual acuity and causes tears.
Common Centaury (Centaurium erythrea L., fam. Gentianaceae), the juice cures
darkenings on the pupil. Fève (Vicia faba L., fam. Fabeaceae), for hematoma,
staphyloma, exophthalmus and edema (Graves‘ ophthalmopathy). Asian Saffron
(Crocus sativus L., fam. Iridaceae) for conjunctivitis. Melilot (Melilotus messaliensis L.,
fam. Fabaceae [Nympheae]) cures scars on the cornea. Opium Poppy (Papaver
somniferum L., fam. Papaveraceae) mixed with white of egg and saffron for
inflammation. Pellitory of The Wall (Parietaria cretica L., fam. Urticaceae) as wrap for
inflammation. Bog myrtle (Tamarix africana Desf., fam. Tamaricaceae) is an addition to
medicine. Sand Leek (Allium scordoprasum L., fam. Liliaceae) for hematoma. Sage
(Salvia horminum L., fam. Lamiaceae) cures scars on the the cornea. Common Rue
(Ruta graveolens L., fam. Rutaceae), medicine for ametropia. Hundred-leaved Rose
(Rosa centifolia L., fam. Rosaceae), the leaves cooked in wine are good for pain.
Common spring burnet (Poterium spinosum L., Fam. Rosaceae) cures eye injuries.
Large-flowered Mullein (Verbascum thapsus L., fam. Scrophulareaceae), good for
edema and inflammation. Lentil (Lens culinaris L., fam. Legumenosae-Fabaceae) heals
mixed with Roseoil for inflammation. Common celadine, (Chelidonium maius L., fam.
Papaveraceae) strenghtens visual acuity. Wood Spurge (Euphorbia chamaesyce L.,
fam. Euphorbiaceae) for weak-sightness, hematoma, scars.

Prof. Dr. F. Daxecker, Univ.-Augenklinik, Anichstraße 35, A-6020 Innsbruck

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Gregor Wollensak (Berlin)
Blessed Ilga from Schwarzenberg

Patron saints for eye diseases are still important today for many peaple afflicted with
eye diseases, so for example the holy Ottilie in Alsatia, the holy Lucia in Italy and the
holy Paraskevi in Greece. The blessed Ilga from Schwarzenberg in the Bregenzerwald is
less known but has been venerated as a patron against eye diseases till today.
According to legend she was descended from the noble family of the counts from
Bregenz and was the full sister of the blessed Merboth from Alberschwende and of the
blessed Diedo from Andelsbuch.
Like those she left her parents' home and moved to the Bregenzerwald, to dedicate her
life to contemplation. High up on the Lorenapass, she said good-bye to her brothers
Merboth and Diedo at the place , where a fountain comes out of a rock, that does not
freeze even with great cold. From there Ilga carried som water in her apron and carried it
to her recluse hut half an hour away from Schwarzenberg. Doing that she spilled some
water and at once another fountain sprang from here, which still today bears the name
Ilga's fountain and is frequently visited by pilgrimes afflicted with eye diseases similar to
the fountain at the sphere of activity of herr brother Merboth in Alberschwende. The
hermit died in her cell in the year 1115. Her relics lie in a shrine in the parish-church of
Schwarzenberg.

Priv. Doz. Dr. med. G. Wollensak, Wildentensteig 4, D-14195 Berlin

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Hans Remky (München)
Tyndall

The Tyndall is well known in ophthalmology, but little about the man who lent his name
to this optical effect.
John TYNDALL, Irish physicist (1820-1893) studied in Marburg and in Berlin in 1848/49,
became friendly with his teacher BUNSEN and later with Hermann and Anna
HELMHOLTZ as well as other german physicists und physiologists. He provided major
contributions to radiant heat, sound, light, electricity and diamagnetism and, as an
enthusiastic mountaineer (Matterhom !) to glaciology. He also wrote about Goethe's
colour theory and even about tuberculosis. In 1867 he succeeded FARADAY as director
of the Royal Institution in London until 1887.
The story of the Tyndall effect begins with the question of why the sky is blue.
Meteorological observations in the Alps had aroused Tyndall's interest in this
phenomenon following previous work by BREWSTER and STOKES; shortly afterwards
RAYLEIGH formulated the conditions that cause the Tyndall effect.

Prof. Dr. H. Remky, Arabellastraße 5, D-81925 München

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Hans-Felix Piper (Lübeck)
Disputes among sensory physiologists and strabologists: Examples from the past
century

To support their point of view, sensory physiologists refer to experiments,
ophthalmologists to observation on the human eye. These different views have often lead
to controversial scientific explanations. In 1898, for example, Hering and Fick had a
dispute over the question, if the retina is able to fatigue. The debate between Ohm and
Bartels, which started around 1920, lasted for 30 years and focused on the question if
nystagmus is primarily due to a jerk oscillation or sinusoidal pendulum oscillation. The
strabologist Weckert was confronted by two renowned experts in 1939. The
experienced clinician Harms and the influential Jaensch questioned the thesis that
malformation of the calcarina was the cause for strabism syndrome. Further disputes
arose between Grimm and Harms who had different opinions on the curability of
strabism (1941). Only on rare occasions did opponents come to a unified hypothesis.
However, there is an interesting example where a multitude of experts reached a unified
conclusion: In 1961 the president of the German Ophthalmology Society conducted a
poll among a congress audience asking whether (Mackensen) or not (Oppel) eccentric
fixation could be differentiated from eccentric view adjustment. In the controversy
between conception and idea, time will often tell the truth.

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

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Manfred Jähne (Aue)
Physicians of Saxony and their papers in anatomy and therapy of the diseases
of the lacrimal system

Diseases of the lacrimal system were very important for the old physicians in former
times, according to J. HIRSCHBERG. This lecture is to appreciate the work of old
surgeons and anatomists in Saxony.
Georg BARTISCH (1535 -1607) has given 29 dispensings in his “Augendienst" against
the ”lacrimal catarrhs".
The anatomy of the lacrimal system and the eye lids have an important place in the
inaugural dissertation by Johann Christian ROSENMULLER (1771 - 1820) at Leipzig in
1797.
The medical professor Johann Zacharias PLATNER (1694 -1747), born in Chemnitz,
recommended in his paper in 1724 “De fistula lacrimali" for the first time the exstirpation
of the saccus lacrimalis in incurable dacryocystitis.
Georg Ernst STAHL (1660 -1734) introduced the bouginage of the stenosis of the
lacrimal system in Halle in 1702. Carl Heinrich WELLER (1794 -1854) took up again
this procedure with various strong violin strings in Dresden.
Christian Georg Theodor RUETE (1810-1867) was very busy with operations of the
fistula lacrimalis and diseases of the “lacrimal tubes". He took great effort with the
catheterization of theductus nasolacrimalis from the nasal entry.
This paper appreciates the old physicians, their books and their importance across
Europe.

Dr. med. habil. M. Jähne, Semmelweis-Siedlung 8, D-08301 Schlema

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Jutta Herde (Halle)
The 170th birthday by Edwin Theodor Sämisch (1833–1909)

The 170th birthday on 30/9/03 by Th.Sämisch let remember the edition of the first
manual of ophthalmology (Vol. l-7) from 1874 to 1880 by Alfred Graefe and E. Theodor
Sämisch. It was the only and unique manual up to this time. A few years later English
and French ophthalmologists published equivalent manuals. Sämisch was born at
Luckau/Niederlausitz. After the graduating in his home town Sämisch studied medicine
in Berlin. 1858/59 he was assistent by Albrecht von Graefe and later by Alexander
Pagenstecher in Wiesbaden. Together with him he published the results ofthe clinical
researches at this hospital. He continued his professional training in the field of the
anatomy of the eye by Heinrich Müller in Würzburg. Since 1862 until the end of his life
Sämisch has been working in Bonn with the exception of several visits of congresses
and of the home town. In 1863 he opened a private eye hospital which became the first
special ophthalmological clinic at the Bonn University in 1873. Sämisch was appointed
the professor of ophthalmology. After nearly 30 years of untired engagement for a new
ophthalmic hospital he held up the opening ceremony ofthe new building in 1903.
Beside of the wide clinical and operating as well as professorship work he published
many papers and the ophthalmological manual as first and second edition. His
recommending the edition of a journal was accepted by A. v. Graefe but realized by
Zehender in 1863. While working on the 2nd edition of the manual Theodor Sämisch
died at September.9,1909 in Bonn. The special fields of his interest were the diseases
of the conjunctiva, sclera and cornea. The term ulcus serpens was given by Sämisch.
The main work by the two friends Graefe and Sämisch is the early beginning of
European ophthalmology.

Prof. Dr. J. Herde, Augenklinik der Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg
Magdeburger Straße 8, D-06097 Halle

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Danny H.-K. Jokl (New York)
Hermann Ludwig Cohn (1838-1906)

A doctorial student in cheBistry and physics under Kirchhoff, Bunsen and Helmholtz,
he went on to study medicine in Breslau where he studied ophthalmology under
Foerster and where, shortly thereafter published what would be his master work and lifelong
thesis, namely, that after examining 10.060 Breslau schoolchildren and doing
exhaustive statistical analysis it was the poorly lit, poorly built schools that were
responsible for the growing myopia during the school years.
Scorned for his views by colleagues and bureaucrats alike, he – by a list of over 300
publications, was able to see his Ideas recognize – and received honors from both city
and the Kaiser.
His theories which fell out of favor with passing time, have, through modern research,
won new respect.

Danny H.-K. Jokl, M.D., Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology,
New York Medical College

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Peter Kober (Schwelm)
Dr. Ludwic Lazarus Zamenhof – a dangerous Ophthalmologist

Ludwic Lazarus Zamenhof, the eldest son of Marcus Zamenhof, a secondary school
teacher of French aund German, and his wife Rosalie, was bom on December 15, 1859
in the small town of Bialistok in what was then Russian-Poland.
Growing up in a multi-lingual environment – in his small town people spoke Russian,
Polish, German, Belorussian, Yiddish and Hebrew – he very early understood the lack
of a common language to be the key reason for enemity and hatred among people and
nations. Still a student he began to consider creating a language which should be easy
to learn , consist of components of many of the major languages and have a simple
grammar, thus providing the world's nations with a basis for better understanding and
reconciliation.
After studying medicine in Moscow and Warsaw Zamenhof turned to ophthalmology for
which he specialised at the Jewish Hospital in Warsaw and, in 1886, in Vienna. He lived
and worked in various places in Russia before moving to Warsaw where he died in 1917.
Throughout his life he dedicated what time his profession left him to his idea of a
"Linguo Internacia", the language we know now as "Esperanto", a name he originally
chose as his pseudonym for his first publication on his language. The Zarist
government, though, was very suspicious of a "secret language" and outside Russia
too, in a climate dominated by strong nationalism, his idea of Esperanto did not meet
with universal acclaim. Yet, the idea spread fast and found many individual aherents,
between them the well known Emil Javal! Conequently, while beeing regarded by many
as a messenger of hope for a universal human understanding. Dr. Zamenhof was at the
same time labelled by others as a "dangerous ophtalmologist", an internationalist and a
conspirator subverting national identities.
Today, two asteroids circling around the sun bear the names of Zamenhof and "his"
Esperanto.

Dr. med. P. Kober, Kirchstraße 2, D-58332 Schwelm

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Gottfried Vesper (Leipzig)
Claude Monet and the illness of his eyes

Claude Monet (1840-1926) is one of the most important representatives in
impressionism art.
In 1912 specialists diagnosted the illness of 'grey star' in both eyes. Later on, Monet's
vision-problems increased. In 1923 the illness was operated at the right eye. After this
surgical operation Claude Monet had trouble with the perception of colours.

MR Dr. med. G. Vesper, Harnackstraße 9, D-04317 Leipzig

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Dieter Schmidt (Freiburg)
The scientific contributions to Ophthalmology of Rolf Schmidt (1906-1982)

After his final school examination in his native town Eilenburg, Rolf Schmidt became a
medical student in Jena, Göttingen and Innsbruck. He passed the final medical
examination (Staatsexamen) in Jena (1931) and became a physician (1932). When he
had finished his thesis (Dissertation in Jena 1932), he specialized in ophthalmology
(Assistenzarzt) under his famous teacher Professor Walter Löhlein at the University
Eye Hospital in Freiburg i. B. Later, he became a head physician "Oberarzt" at the Eye
Hospital under Professor Wilhelm Wegner. In 1936 he passed the Faculty examination
in Medicine (Habilitation) in Freiburg after his publication on herpetic diseases of the
cornea. In November 1941 he was appointed Professor of Ophthalmology at the
University of Freiburg. He became a surgeon and medical superintendent in military
hospitals in Russia and France during the Second World War. After the war, he was
appointed head of the Departments for eye diseases in the hospitals in Kirn/Nahe and
Bad Kreuznach. In his publications, he wrote critical judgements on the treatment of
hereditary eye diseases: Rolf Schmidt opposed decisively the opinion of well-known
German ophthalmologists in the beginning of the 40s who recommended a sterilisation
of all patients with congenital cataract or congenital glaucoma. He disagreed with his
colleagues and emphasized, not to sterilize all patients with congenital eye diseases.
Thus, he contradicted not only ophthalmological opinions, but also the laws at that time
in Germany. The topic of more than 50 publications (original articles and lectures)
concerned diseases of the cornea and retina (retinal detachment, vascular disturbances
of the retina, tuberculous diseases), lesions of the optic nerves, spectral analysis to
demonstrate intraocular metals, reading ability in vertical direction, toxic eye diseases,
ocular injuries, problems of blind persons, and questions on driver´s licence. One of his
most important publications was the first description on hereditary corneal lesions in
patients with diseases of the joints. He was the first to describe an autosomal dominant
trait in Axenfeld-Rieger´s syndrome. The reports on streak-like herpetic superficial
keratitis are very important. In addition to the previous publication by the dermatologist
Behçet, Schmidt described the recurrences of a hypopyon-iritis. These publications
(1937, 1940) were essential because he made the eye changes of the clinical picture
more evident which was later called Behçet´s disease. An additional description, i.e. on
compressive lesions of the optic nerve (1953), is nowadays still essential in the
differential diagnoses of optic nerve diseases.

Prof. Dr. D. Schmidt, Univ.-Augenklinik, Kilianstraße 5, D-79106 Freiburg

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Frank Wilhelm (Halle)
History of Eye Banking

Actually it seems to be no problem that there is always donor material available. Only
a few people remember the problems of the first time in cornea transplantation. But up
today there are not enough transplants available.
Since the first report of Eduard Zirm in 1906 about the firs successful cornea
transplantation it was always difficult to get enough donor material. Zirm obtained the
graft from a living donor. The first who took corneas from non living donors was Filatov.
He also was the first who stored donor globes in a moist chamber. By storage in a
refrigerator the transplants were available for a planed surgery and the procedure of
cornea transplantation was not more an emergency case. In 1944 the first eye bank of
America was founded by T. Paton .
After these possibilities the procedure of cornea transplantation was popular after a
short time for example by Castroviejo in America and by Löhlein in Germany. Georg
Günther, a pupil of Löhlein started in 1958 in Greifswald after careful slit lamp
examination of the donor globes the isolated cornea to store in fluid mediums – at first
in the recipient serum.
By Mc Carey & Kaufman a liquid storage medium was established world wide in 1974.
Using this medium the storage time was prolonged about 48 hours at 4°C. The donor
button was put in the so called MK-medium – a cell culture medium added by dextran
and antibiotics. This medium was the first and is up today the mother of all used
mediums in cornea storage at 4°C.
Summerlin reported first time about the storage of donor corneas under physiological
conditions – in the organ culture. In 1973 he reported about this safe and expensive
method of cornea preservation. The method well established today, allows the storage
of human corneas up to 35 days. In the united states the method was established by
Doughman and in Europe by Sperling.
After that the organ culture storage was popular in Europe by Pels and Suchard.
Böhnke, using organ culture, founded the first German eye bank in Hamburg in 1981.
After short time the firs eye banks of Austria (Grabner in Vienna) and Switzerland
(Schimmelpfennig in Zurich) were opened. After that came in Germany (1989), Kiel
(1991) und Greifswald (1992).
The commission of German eye banks was founded in 1995. The German law of
transplantation was established – the basis of law for obtaining donor corneas – in
1997.

Prof. Dr. F. Wilhelm, Univ.-Augenklinik der Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg,
Magdeburger Straße 8, D-06097 Halle

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