Karl Stellwag von Carion (1823-1904) and his studies on clinical and pathological anatomy of ocular cancer

Headnote

Abstract

Karl Stellwag von Carion (1823-1904) was a very important figure of European ophthalmology during the 19th century. Besides his other contributions in ophthalmology such as 'Stellwag sign', coining the term 'ectopia lentis' for lens dislocation and fundamental studies on glaucoma, refraction, accommodation and light polarization, his studies on ocular cancer were very significant but not highlighted by modern research.

Key words -

Karl Stellwag von Carion, ocular cancer, glioma, melanoma, pathological anatomy of ocular diseases.

Introduction

Karl Stellwag von Carion (1823-1904) was born in Vienna. He studied medicine in Prague and Vienna and in 1847 he received his doctoral degree in medicine and, the same year, his license as surgeon in Vienna. In 1847 he started his internship in ophthalmology in Vienna General Hospital until 1851. In 1854 he was elected Dozent (lecture) in ophthalmology at the university of Vienna and Josephs-Akademie and in 1857 he received the title of 'Professor extraordinarius' of ophthalmology in the same university. Finally, in 1858 he became Full Professor of Ophthalmology at the university of Vienna (Pagel, 1901).

In the history of ophthalmology he is well known from 'Stellwag sign'(a sign of infrequent or incomplete blinking associated with exophthalmos) and coining the term 'ectopia lentis' for lens dislocation. Very important were his studies on glaucoma, on refraction, on accommodation and light polarization (Pagel, 1901). Nevertheless, his studies on ocular cancer, although very important in the history of the study of this disease, were over passed by his other contributions in ophthalmology. The clinical and pathological studies on ocular cancer made by Stellwag mark the new pathway of the study of this disease which was followed by the physicians in the middle of 19th century leading ocular oncology to change the theories and descrip Konstantinos Laios et alii

tions of the disease made until then. The new ideas about this disease were described and analyzed in a simple but accurate way pointing the new achievements in ocular pathology which were a breakthrough for that time.

Clinical and pathological anatomy of ocular cancer by Karl Stellwag von Carion

We can learn Stellwag's ideas about ocular cancer from his three most important treatises on the theme, Die Ophthalmologie vom naturwissenschaftlichen Standpunkte aus (1853) (Ophthalmology from the scientific point of view)...