Galen : two bibliographical demonstrations in the library of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, 9th December, 1891, and 30th March, 1893 / by James Finlayson.

  • James Finlayson
Date:
1895
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Galen : two bibliographical demonstrations in the library of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, 9th December, 1891, and 30th March, 1893 / by James Finlayson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    Galen had devoted much attention to the anatomy and physiology of the eye,^^ and also M'rote on its diseases, but this last treatise is amongst the lost works (see Kiihn, torn, i, Preface, pp. 194, 195). The following extracts regarding the movements of the eyeball and the commissure of the optic nerve seem specially interesting :— [Moven,ents of 3t/es.]—If, then, the eyes can be moved by our will, and if all movements of this kind are effected by muscles, it is evident that the Creator has surrounded the eye with muscles. But it is not sufficient for us to rest content with a knowledge of their utility, we must also investigate their number, taking special note of their size and situation. If, then, each eye has four movements— viz., inwards towards the noee; outwards towards the external canthus; upwards towards the eyebrows; downwards towards the cheeks—it is presumable that these movements are controlled by a precisely similar number of muscles. Thus there are two muscles at the sides (the internal and external recti), one in each canthus ; two others the one above, the other below (the superior and inferior recti). The aponeuroses of all these muscles form a broad circle—a tendinous ring—which is continuous with the iris. As it is necessary for the eye to have also a movement of rotation, nature has provided two other muscles each situated obliquely at the centre of an eyelid. These extend from above and below towards the outer canthus (superior and inferior obliques). Thus by means of these muscles the eye is turned in any desired direction. There also exists at their origin another broad muscle (suspensory or choanoid), which stretches and protects the attachment of the soft nerve (optic nerve). This muscle elevates the eye and causes it to rotate a little. Indeed, this soft nerve would easily be ruptured from its liability to suffer severe concussion by any injury to the head, were it not strengthened and protected on every side. (Ren- dered from Daremberg's Translation : Galien, tome i, p. 628. Utilite des parties du corps, x, 8. Kiihn, torn, iii, p. 795). 21 Otto Katz; Die Augenheilkunde des Galenus. Erster theoretischer Ted: iioer Anatomie und Physiologic des Sehorgans. Inaugural-Disserta- tion, Berhn, 1890. Some of the aiticles in J. Hh'schberg's Worterhuch der A ugenheilkunde, Leipzig, 1887, aie also of special interest in connection with Galen's work.