On the Shoulders of Giants

The Academy Education Fund

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Ophthalmic Heritage & Museum of Vision

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F. C. Donders (1818-1889) and Students

Franciscus Cornelis Donders started his medical career interested in general medicine, but in 1851 he met Drs. William Bowman and Albrecht von Graefe who convinced him to narrow his field to ophthalmology. After studying with Bowman, Donders founded the Nederlandsch Gasthuis Voor Ooglijders- a teaching eye hospital.

6c F.C. Donders stamp single, 1935
Netherlands
Paper, ink, adhesive
Gift of John F. Bigger, MD

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Fick-Livschitz Tonometer, c.1890
Metal, rubber, glass
Gift of Robert A. Moses, MD
The first tonometer, or instrument to measure intraocular pressure, was created in Dr. Donder’s lab between 1863 and 1868.

When Dr. Donders retired from the hospital he continued as a member of numerous societies and as President of the International Congress of Ophthalmology. Among his famous students were Drs. Karl Koller and Herman Snellen. Snellen took over the management of the Gasthuis in 1884 and his son, Dr. Herman Snellen, Jr, followed him after his retirement in 1903.

Exhibit Outline
1. The First Teacher
       Albrecht von Graefe (1828-1870)
       Richard Liebreich (1830-1917)
       F. C. Donders (1818-1889) and Students
       Sir William Bowman (1816-1892) and Students
2. Ophthalmic Training in America
       Eye Anatomy and Demonstration Models
       Recognition of Diseases
3. Academy as Teacher
4. In Honor of the Giants in Ophthalmology

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