The
Ophthalmoscope:
Textbook: Volume 1
by Alfred Schett
Atlas:
Volume 2 by Charles R
Keeler
This fine history of the
ophthalmoscope was published in two-volume book form in Belgium in 1996-97. It
has now become available on CD ROM and the College has recently added a copy in
ROM form to the J Lloyd Hewett collection.
Schett's text consists of
428 pages detailing the developments since the time of Helmholtz's invention in
1851 until the end of the 19th century. There are short biographies of many of
the international pioneer workers and hundreds of drawings and photographs of
their instruments.
Keeler's atlas covers the
same period and extends into the early decades of the 20th century. There are
228 pages mostly of photographs of instruments from his own collection. The
Acrobat (R) Software installed in the CD ROM functions as a very adequate index
to the two volumes. Even as a quite illiterate computer-user I was able to pick
up a wealth of useful and fascinating information.
It has been said that the
introduction of the ophthalmoscope was the single most important development in
eye-care and accordingly this history serves once again to remind us of its
prime importance in optometry.
Michael
J Aitken
Honorary
Archivist, VCO