HERMANN VON HELMHOLTZ 



were not differentiated, and the same treatment was 

 applied to all alike, often with disastrous results to 

 the patient. In an eloquent speech by von Graefe, 

 delivered at Heidelberg in 1858, on the occasion of the 

 Ophthalmological Congress, he said, l Under our eyes 

 we see the mists disperse, which, for hundreds of 

 years, have clouded the view of our best observers, 

 and an unexampled field is won for the healing art, 

 from which, even already, after a few brief years, 

 have been reaped most admirable fruits.' Then, 

 turning to Helmholtz, he handed him, in the name 

 of the Congress, a cup, on which were inscribed the 

 words : * To the creator of a new science, to the 

 benefactor of mankind, in thankful remembrance of 

 the invention of the ophthalmoscope.' Helmholtz 

 was visibly moved, and when he went home beloved 

 lips said to him ' Better than a decoration ? ' To 

 which he replied, ' Certainly ; it is a decoration on 

 the part of competent judges.' 



Long afterwards, on gth August 1886, at the fifth 

 centenary of the University of Heidelberg, there was 

 another great meeting of ophthalmologists, and Helm- 

 holtz was presented with the von Graefe medal, a 

 memorial of the great ophthalmologist, awarded every 

 tenth year to the man of whatever nation who has 

 rendered the greatest service to the science of ophthal- 

 mology. Professor von Zehender was in the chair, 

 and in the presence of many distinguished visitors to 

 the famous university on the banks of the Neckar, 

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