548 AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY SEPTEMBER, 1974

The scientific and business discussions be­ing formally concluded for the day, informal discussions continued for many of the par­ticipants over a gourmet dinner on the bateau mouche to the accompaniment of harp and gypsy accordions.

D. P. CHOYCE

SECOND CONGRESS O F T H E INTERNATIONAL

STRABISMOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION

The Second Congress of the International Strabismological Association (ISA) con­vened on board the "Cabo San Vincente," sailing out of Marseille May 20, 1974. Our French colleagues had chosen this attractive combination of a congress-cruise to gather 285 strabismologists, many accompanied by their ladies and some by their children, for five days of work and relaxation. Thirty-two countries from all continents were repre­sented, and a sizable contingent from the United States participated. The scientific program, presided over by the ISA Presi­dent, Hermann Burian, opened with the high­light of the meeting, the Bielschowsky Lec­ture presented by Professor Heinrich Harms of Tubingen. In this memorable presentation, Harms, who is one of the most renowned students of Bielschowsky, correlated the ap­plication of classical psychophysical and mod­ern neurophysiological research methods to unravel the basic mechanisms of sensorial adaptations in strabismus. Four panel discus­sions with international participation were concerned with amblyopia, electrophysiology, prism therapy, and vertical strabismus. There were free papers covering various aspects of ocular motility disorders and lively discus­sions by the experts.

The new officers of the ISA elected for the 1974-1978 term are: Ciancia (Argen­tina), president; Berard (France) and Bago-lini (Italy), vice-presidents; Huber (Swit­zerland), secretary-treasurer; and Fells (England) and Franceschetti (Switzerland), editors. Harold Brown, Hermann M. Burian, Curt Cuppers, Arthur Jampolsky, and Keith

Lyle were elected to honorary membership. The unique setting of this Congress was

conducive to renewing old friendships, "pick­ing each other's brains," and extending the discussions in small groups into the wee hours. Needless to say, the bartenders did not have an idle moment with this crowd, and it was evident again that national or po­litical differences become absurdities where-ever ophthalmologists congregate. The ship docked for a day in Naples, and many utilized this day off to visit Pompei, Herculanum, or Capri.

As the Congress members disembarked in Marseille five days later, they did so with the awareness of having gained new knowledge, new friends, a few pounds of weight, and, even though the sailing was generally smooth, that the incredibly blue Mediterranean can be anything but a stolid mill pond. The suc­cess pf this meeting was largely due to its careful preparation and organization by Pro­fessor Vital Berard and his charming wife. Merci et au revoir in 1978 in Japan!

GUNTER K . VON NOORDEN

IOWA EYE ASSOCIATION MEETING The 13th annual meeting of the Iowa

Eye Association was held May 9-11, 1974. Norman Jaffe and H. Bruce Ostler were in­vited guests. Dr. Jaffe spoke about intra­ocular lens implants and also discussed shal­lowing of the anterior chamber following cataract surgery. Dr. Ostler described cases of nontuberculous phlyctenulosis and re­viewed the manifestations of superficial punctate keratitis.

The remainder of the meeting consisted of a stimulating potpourri of talks by staff, residents, and former residents. Thomas Burton critically reviewed the evidence for photocoagulation being an effective treat­ment of senile disciform macular degenera­tion and reported preliminary results of treatment with argon laser in a carefully de­signed clinical trial. Thomas Weingeist de­scribed the histologic appearance of argon laser lesions in the maculopapillar bundle region of four human eyes; the nerve fiber