A C T A O P H T H A L M O L O G I C A 65 (1987) 752-755

Danish ophthalmology at the University of Copenhagen

100th Anniversary of the Chair

26.April1888-26April 1988

It goes without saying that teaching in ophthal- mology in Denmark as elsewhere took place a long time before the establishment of the University Chair and that this teaching is to be considered as precursor and basis for the later development at University level. Danish ophthalmology has had, as described in the following article, both its ups and downs in the period 150-200 years ago, before University status was obtained.

Period around 1750, Georg Heuermann

Already around 1750 Georg Heuermann (1723- 1768), anatomist, physiologist and surgeon, reader in ophthalmology at the University of Copenhagen blazed a new trail in ophthalmology to Denmark by his comprehensive studies on the physiology and surgery of the eye (Abhandelung der vornemsten Chirurgischen Operationen am menschlichen Corper, Vol. 11, Copenhagen und Leipzig 1756). These studies resulted from Heuermann’s teaching at the Surgeons, at the Theatrum anatomicum-chirurgicum. Heuermann described in his book, already 3 years after Jac- ques Daviel’s (1696- 1762) publication of cataract extraction, this new procedure, having been per- formed for the first time in Denmark by himself in 1755.

Period around 1850, fight for and against ophthalmology

Despite Heuermann’s early, great impulses to Danish ophthalmology, the status in Denmark around 1850 was internationally behind the times, since the discipline was not recognized as an independent speciality. Lessons at the University

752

in diseases of the eye were in the hands of professors of general surgery and were given in connection with general surgery. One of these, Jacob Christian Bendz (1802-58), military sur- geon and honorary professor advocated already in 1854 for the establishment of a special eye hospital in order to treat the many cases of the military eye disease (ophthalmia granulomatosai trachoma), a proposal which was turned down by his colleagues. However, a few Danish physicians having acquired education in ophthalmology at foreign eye clinics had already established their own eye clinics in Copenhagen. One of these, Nathan G. Melchior (1811-72), read a paper >>De l’etat de I’ophtalmologie en Danemark. at the Ophthalmological Congress in Brussels in 1857 and stressed the need for a chair in ophthal- mology. Another Danish physician, Georg C. H. Lehmann (1815-go), who was later in charge of a Municipal Hospital eye clinic in Copenhagen, gave in 1852 in The Royal Medical Society of Copenhagen a lecture on the ophthalmoscope only two years after Helmholtz’ invention of the instrument in 1850.

The first Danish textbooks on diseases of the eye are from 1834 (F. C. Haugsted (1804-66)) and 1872 (H. A. Philipsen (1839-92)). Other ophthal- mological efforts from that time are evidenced by Adolph Hannover’s (1814-94) publications on the retina and the vitreous body (Muller’s Archiv f. Anat. u. Phys. 1840: 320-45 and 1845: 478-

From the University of Copenhagen the ad- vances in international ophthalmology generally met only deprecation. Mathias Saxtorph (1822- 1900), physician in chief of general surgery at

81).

The seven late professores ordinarii oftalmologiae of the University of Copenhagen. Drawings by the ophthalmologist G. 0sterberg for the programme of the 50th and 60th anniversary of the Danish Ophthalmological Society.

Jannik Bjerruni 1896-1910

Private eye clinic

Edmund Hansen Grut 1888- 1896

, Private eye clinic

Marius Tscherning 1910-1925 Eye Department and Clinic, Rigshospitalet University Hospital

Royal Frederiks Hospital (1866-87), who also taught diseases of the eye to the students, referred in 1867 to the new trends in ophthalmology as *charlatanism.. His resistance to separate oph- thalmology from general surgery, was one of the reasons for postponing the first Danish reader- ship in ophthalmology at the University of Copen- hagen until 1882. The first reader became Ed- mund Gottfred Hansen Grut (1831- 1907) who had been acting from 187 1 as private reader in his private clinic for diseases of the eye in Copen- hagen.

Chairs in Ophthalmology

The first Danish chair in ophthalmology was established at the University of Copenhagen in 1888, despite the resistance of several faculty members as mentioned above. Edmund Hansen

Grut (1831- 1907) was elected on August 1, 1882 as lecturer (reader) and on April 26, 1888 as the first Danish ordinary professor of ophthalmology. He held the Chair until 1896. His clinic in Havne- gade (Harbour Street), which comprised a large out-patient clinic, surgical facilities and wards, became the University’s first eye clinic.

Jannik Petersen Bjerrum (1851- 1920) was pro- fessor from 1896 to 1910. He is renowned for his studies on vision and the visual fields. He intro- duced visual field testing by campimetry and demonstrated the arcuate scotoma in patients with glaucoma. During Bjerrum’s time, the Uni- versitys Eye Clinic remained in Grut’s previous clinic in Havnegade. In other words, the eye clinic remained geographically separated from the Uni- versity Hospital, the Royal Frederik’s Hospital in Bredgade (Broad Street).

Marius Tscherning (1854- 1939) who had been director of the Sorbonne Ophthalmological Labo-

753

\

K. K. K. Lundsgaard 1925-1931 Eye Department and Clinic, Rigshospitalet University Hospital

Holger Ehlers

Eye Department and Clinic, Rigshospitalet

University Hospital

1947-1969

Henning K. T. Ronne

Eye Department and Clinic, Rigshospitalet University Hospital

1932-1946

Poul Brzndstrup 197 1-1975

Eye department and Clinic Copenhagen Municipal

University Hospital

ratory in Paris for 9 years, succeeded Bjerrum as professor in Copenhagen (1910- 1925). Tscher- ning carried out pioneer works in optics and refraction. When Tscherning took up his profes- sorship, the University Eye Clinic was moved to the newly built and still existing Rigshospital (University Hospital), Blegdamsvej (Blegdams Road).

K. K. K. (Konrad Kristian Karl) Lundsgaard (1867 - 193 1) held the professorship from 1925 until his death in 1931. Lundsgaard will be re- membered particularly because he founded the present Scandinavian journal: Acta Ophthal- mologica in 1923 and was one of the founder members of the Ophthalmological Society in Copenhagen in 1901, now the Danish Ophthal- mological Society.

Henning Kristian Trappaud Ronne (1878- 1947) was professor from 1932- 1946. As early as 1908 he described his .nasal step. in the glau-

comatous visual field. Furthermore, he was a pioneer in studies on the structures of the visual pathways and established a laboratory of eye pathology.

Holger Ehlers (1899- 1985), who was professor from 1947 to 1969, was in charge of the great post-war development in Danish ophthalmology, both with regard to clinical aspects and research. In addition to his own studies, mainly on the cornea and orbita, he initiated a large number of ophthalmological theses.

The above mentioned uprofessores ordinarii. have in certain periods been supplemented by so-called honorary professors (Edmund Zeuthen Jensen (1861- 1950) 1903- 1941 at Sct. Josephs Hospital) and dinical<< professors of ophthal- mology working in other eye clinics in Copen- hagen, (Ejler Holm (1887- 1966) 1939- 1957 and Poul Brzndstrup (1912- 1975) 1957- 197 1 at the Copenhagen Municipal City Hospital and Borge

754

Lawaetz (1904-74) 1966-1974 at the Copen- hagen Military Hospital). Besides, new chairs of ophthalmology were established at the University of Arhus (Viggo A. Jensen (1905-) 1952-1975 and Niels Ehlers (1938-) 1975- and at the Uni- versity of Odense (Poul Martin M@ller (1922-) 1972-1978 and Ernst Goldschmidt (1933-)

During the time of Henning R@nne a laboratory of eye pathology was established, later transferred to the University Institute of Morbid Anatomy, but becoming an independent Institute under the University of Copenhagen in 1972. Sigurd Ry Andersen (1915-) was the pioneer behind this Institute and took over the first chair as ordinary professor of eye pathology in 1978, followed by 0. A. Jensen (1924-) in 1982.

Eilif Gregersen (1924-) followed in 1969 Hol- ger Ehlers as professor at the University Eye Clinic, Rigshospitalet (University Hospital). The clinical sector of the medical faculty, University of Copenhagen was in 1971 - giving up the system with clinical professors - divided into 3 sections, the chair at Rigshospitalet being supplemented with another two ordinary chairs in ophthal- mology in Copenhagen, one in the Municipal Hospital service (Poul Braendstrup (1912- 1975) 1971-1975, Mogens Stig Norn (1925-) 1975-, and one in the Gentofte Hospital service (Hans- Walther Larsen (1926-) 1971-.

1979- 1985.

Present and Future

Looking back on the past 100 years, one is, as in other branches of medicine, impressed by the accelerating evolution and development. From one omnipotent ophthalmologist in a private clinic to the present public university clinics with special clinics and sectors for neuroophthalmol- ogy, strabismus, vitreoretinal diseases, glaucoma, contact lenses, erg-ophthalmology, including avia- tion, oncology, eye pathology, electrophysiology etc., functions which all demand separate expert supervision and knowledge. Furthermore, great fields as microsurgery, laser treatment, angiogra- phic examination etc. are expanding as expert functions crossing many of the above mentioned sections of ophthalmology.

It has for many years been realized abroad that basic eye research cannot be expected to be per- formed by university institutes of anatomy, physi- ology and biochemistry. Separate eye institutes for basic ophthalmic research have as a conse- quence been established in several places abroad. Therefore, the greatest wish at this 100th anniver- sary for Copenhagen University Ophthalmology is the establishment of fellowships, readerships and a chair for basic eye research.

Eilif Gregersen Ove Aksel Jensen Mogens Stig Norn Hans- Walther Larsen

755