Alexander Duane
Encyclopedia
Alexander Duane was an American ophthalmologist who was a native of Malone
, New York
. He studied medicine at the College of Physicians and Surgeons (today the medical school of Columbia University
). In 1881 he became an intern at the New York Hospital
under German-born ophthalmologist Hermann Jakob Knapp
(1832-1911), and in 1884 started his ophthalmological practice in New York. He was with the U.S. Navy during the Spanish-American War
and World War I
, and for a brief period of time taught classes at Cornell University
.
Duane is remembered for contributions made in the study of the eye
and vision, including aspects such as refraction
, accommodation
and squint
. He also performed extensive analysis concerning movement of the extraocular muscles
, and in 1897 published an important treatise titled "A new classification of the motor anomalies of the eye".
Duane translated Austrian ophthalmologist Ernst Fuchs
' ophthalmic textbook, which first appeared in English in 1903 under the title of "Fuchs Textbook of Ophthalmology" and later ran into eight editions. Duane's name is associated with a few medical eponyms, including "Duane's parallax test", "Duane's retraction syndrome" and Duane's prism test for latent squint.
Malone (town), New York
Malone is a town in Franklin County, New York, United States. The population was 14,545 at the 2010 census.The Town of Malone contains a village called Malone, which is the county seat. The town is an interior town, centrally located in the county....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He studied medicine at the College of Physicians and Surgeons (today the medical school of Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
). In 1881 he became an intern at the New York Hospital
New York Hospital
New York Hospital or “Old New York Hospital” or “City Hospital” was the oldest hospital in New York City and the second oldest hospital in the United States.-Early History:...
under German-born ophthalmologist Hermann Jakob Knapp
Hermann Jakob Knapp
Hermann Jakob Knapp was a German-American ophthalmologist who was born in Dauborn, Nassau. He earned his medical degree from the University of Giessen in 1854. As a young physician he studied with Franciscus Cornelis Donders in Utrecht, William Bowman in London, Albrecht von Graefe in Berlin and...
(1832-1911), and in 1884 started his ophthalmological practice in New York. He was with the U.S. Navy during the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
and World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and for a brief period of time taught classes at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
.
Duane is remembered for contributions made in the study of the eye
Human eye
The human eye is an organ which reacts to light for several purposes. As a conscious sense organ, the eye allows vision. Rod and cone cells in the retina allow conscious light perception and vision including color differentiation and the perception of depth...
and vision, including aspects such as refraction
Refractive error
A refractive error, or refraction error, is an error in the focusing of light by the eye and a frequent reason for reduced visual acuity.-Classification:...
, accommodation
Accommodation (eye)
Accommodation is the process by which the vertebrate eye changes optical power to maintain a clear image on an object as its distance changes....
and squint
Strabismus
Strabismus is a condition in which the eyes are not properly aligned with each other. It typically involves a lack of coordination between the extraocular muscles, which prevents bringing the gaze of each eye to the same point in space and preventing proper binocular vision, which may adversely...
. He also performed extensive analysis concerning movement of the extraocular muscles
Extraocular muscles
The extraocular muscles are the six muscles that control the movements of the eye . The actions of the extraocular muscles depend on the position of the eye at the time of muscle contraction.-List of muscles:-Importance:...
, and in 1897 published an important treatise titled "A new classification of the motor anomalies of the eye".
Duane translated Austrian ophthalmologist Ernst Fuchs
Ernst Fuchs (doctor)
Ernst Fuchs was an Austrian ophthalmologist and physician best known for his contribution to description and identification of Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis in 1906, Fuchs's dystrophy, and his contributions in the field of ophthalmology including but not limited to Fuchs spot...
' ophthalmic textbook, which first appeared in English in 1903 under the title of "Fuchs Textbook of Ophthalmology" and later ran into eight editions. Duane's name is associated with a few medical eponyms, including "Duane's parallax test", "Duane's retraction syndrome" and Duane's prism test for latent squint.