Beschreibung eines Augen-Spiegels zur Untersuchung der Netzhaut im lebenden Auge by HELMHOLTZ, Hermann von - 1851

Berlin: A. Förstner'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung (P. Jeanrenaud), 1851. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 1st Edition. Hardcover. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. 8vo (203 x 130 mm). 43 [1], [2] pp. and one engraved plate by Afinger after drawings by Helmholtz. Bound in contemporary German marbled paper over card board, spine with hand-lettered paper label, red sprinkled edges, original endpapers (minor rubbing of extremities, corners slightly bumped, minor chipping to foot of spine). Protected in half-calf and cloth clamshell box with gilt-lettered spine. Text and plate little age toned, very minor occasional spotting. Provenance: pencil note on plate verso "complete/Norman". A very good and clean copy. ----

FIRST EDITION of Helmholtz' announcement of his invention of the ophthalmoscope. This was a by-product of Helmholtz's attempt to demonstrate to his physiology students that when the human eye is made to glow with reflected light, the light emitted from the pupil follows the same course it took in entering. Realizing that if the light could be brought to a focus the details of the retina would be made visible, he invented a device to accomplish this objective. The ophthalmoscope greatly improved the ability of ophthalmologists to diagnose eye disease and revolutionized visual science.
Literature: Norman 1041; Garrison-Morton 5866; Grolier Medicine 65; Heirs of Hippocrates 1886; Waller 4294; DSB VI, p. 246. - Visit our website to see more images!