ePoster

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Title:

Alexander Monro Secundus, the great anatomist, and his contribution to the study of the eye

Poster Details

First Author: G. Balanikas GREECE

Co Author(s):    D. Peirounidis   M. Angelou   C. Georgiadou   P. Rasoglou   D. Christodoulou   S. Maloutas     

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Alexander Monro, a Scottish physician (May 22, 1733, Edinburgh,ﾗOct. 2, 1817, Edinburgh) was a great anatomist and surgeon of the 18th century. He combined an exceptional work of anatomical essays ﾑThree Treatisesﾒ (On the Brain, The Eye and The Ear) which was published in 1797. We are speaking about the second section of the book concerning the eye. The 1797 edition is used in this presentation.

Setting:

The study of Monro's work was completed in the first Ophthalmologic Clinic of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki This concerns a distinguished anatomist and physician who mainly lived and worked in Edinburgh, but he also spent time in London, Paris, and Berlin for educational reasons.

Methods:

The second 'Treatise' refers to the eye. It has the title' OBSERVATIONS ON THE STRUCTURE And FUNCTIONS of the EYES. By ALEXANDER MONRO, M.D.' The book was published in 1797 in Edinburg and consists of 264 pages, 106 of them is dedicated to the eye section. The first six chapters describe the anatomy of the eye with some of the physiological functions as the refraction of the eye and the route of the light towards the retina. The sixth chapter describes the cornea and the neovascularization after corneal lesions. The last chapter describes the 'Lachrymal Ducts'.

Results:

Alexander Monroﾒs work is a concise, but complete, a treatise about the eye and its basic functions and includes also anatomical engravings of the organ very useful for the ophthalmic surgeons of his era.

Conclusions:

Alexander Monroe, Secundus (1733-1817) a member of a medical family was a prominent physician, a great anatomist, and a writer, who contributed to the establishment of the University of Edinburgh as a powerful international center of medical knowledge and teaching. He provided useful anatomical elements to the ophthalmic surgeons with his second ﾑTreatise ﾑdedicated to the eye from a more extensive work including the brain and the ear.

Financial Disclosure:

None