Source Book of Ophthalmology

From The Critics

Reviewer: Gerald Dujsik, MALS, AHIP(Illinois College of Optometry)
Description: This is an annotated bibliography of more than 2500 medical and ophthalmic books published before 1900 and contained in three private collections. Brief sketches of the historical authors are followed by a chronological list of their publications.
Purpose: This bibliography intends "to give the immediate location of any book published prior to 1900 that is held in one of three libraries...." For ophthalmic researchers, collectors, librarians, and antiquarian book dealers, this will become a very useful tool.
Audience: The book was written for history of medicine scholars, antiquarian book dealers, and librarians who need biographical and bibliographical data on historical authors. The authors have immersed themselves in collecting and acquiring historical texts related to the eye and have gained a comprehensive knowledge of the subject and the sources.
Features: The main text is arranged alphabetically by author. The 11 full-page color plates establish the quality of the book, and the 79 portraits and 104 illustrations throughout the text add depth to the material. There are four pages of references to historical texts and book catalogs. The indexes of color plates and illustrations add value to the book. The biographical notes on the historical authors personalize them to the reader.
Assessment: This is primarily a locating tool for medical and vision science libraries looking for pre-1900 publications. The collections, though extensive, are not exhaustive and the authors refer to other collections. The short biographical sketches of pre-1900 authors are useful to have in one place. Book collectors can compare their holdings to this rich listing of three extensive collections.

Gerald Dujsik

This is an annotated bibliography of more than 2500 medical and ophthalmic books published before 1900 and contained in three private collections. Brief sketches of the historical authors are followed by a chronological list of their publications. This bibliography intends ^^to give the immediate location of any book published prior to 1900 that is held in one of three libraries....^^ For ophthalmic researchers, collectors, librarians, and antiquarian book dealers, this will become a very useful tool. The book was written for history of medicine scholars, antiquarian book dealers, and librarians who need biographical and bibliographical data on historical authors. The authors have immersed themselves in collecting and acquiring historical texts related to the eye and have gained a comprehensive knowledge of the subject and the sources. The main text is arranged alphabetically by author. The 11 full-page color plates establish the quality of the book, and the 79 portraits and 104 illustrations throughout the text add depth to the material. There are four pages of references to historical texts and book catalogs. The indexes of color plates and illustrations add value to the book. The biographical notes on the historical authors personalize them to the reader. This is primarily a locating tool for medical and vision science libraries looking for pre-1900 publications. The collections, though extensive, are not exhaustive and the authors refer to other collections. The short biographical sketches of pre-1900 authors are useful to have in one place. Book collectors can compare their holdings to this rich listing of three extensive collections.

3 Stars from Doody