54 letter reveals afascinatinginsight into clinics ofSichel and Desmarres inParis.This colleague abouthisexperiencevisiting the wrote toa thenaged21, Graefe, , . and inParis,, and observations returned toBerlinasanophthalmologist.” “Without wouldArlt,” nothave hewrote,“I was tohave amajorinfluenceonhiswork. Carl Ferdinand von Arlt (1812-1887)who influence ofprofessor ofophthalmology, to Praguewhere hecameunderthe a teacherinlateryears. stead whenhereturned totheuniversity as which wastostandhimingood colleagues, and friendshipofhisteachers this young ageGraefe earnedtherespect surgeon.” Hirschberg remarks thateven at alsoasa "Excellent, thatread, certificate state examinationthatwinterwitha in August of 1847 andpassedthemedical natural sciencesandanatomy. logic, university studiesinphilosophy, and four monthsandsooncommenced 1843attheageof15years September 29, Graefe received hisbaccalaureate on Berlin, historianJulien Hirschberg. Faust dramahadbeenfor Goethe,” writes “This operationwasfor Graefe whatthe brilliant ophthalmologistofhisgeneration. confirmed hisreputation asthemost which wasfirstpublishedin1857, anidea iridectomy, cured by couldbe that discovery His career. in atragically short achieved somuch remarkable ashe all themore German medicineis and ophthalmology influence on Graefe’s years. aged42 1870, same cityonJuly 20 Graefe diedinthe B career. throughophthalmology abrilliant the foundation for scientific Albrecht von Graefe (1828-1870)laid Despite hisrelatively life, short Feature fe rge hecontinued hisstudies After , Graefe travelled In theautumnof1848, He received hismedicaldegree inBerlin Educated attheFrench Gymnasiumin n14,theyear before hereturned to In 1849, 1828, on May 28, orn inBerlin to shortlifeofAlbrechtvonGraefe Scientific ophthalmologyowesitsbeginnings Eye onHistory with awaspishpenwhodidnotsuffer fools Italsoindicatesthatthiswasaman ahead. become abrilliantteacherintheyears gives anindication ofhisdeterminationto Graefe’s approach and toophthalmology and colleague. generous andfair-minded teacher unstinting intheirpraiseofGraefe asa themajorityofhiscolleagueswere others, even sometimescruelinhiscriticismof andophthalmology.surgery and wasappointed assistant professor of the Eye Muscles,” totheUniversity ofBerlin the submitted athesis,“About Activities of treated withoutcharge. and care for indigentpatientswhoseeyes he spent agreat dealofmoney onoperations Hirschbergnotesthat Graefe until hedied. own clinicinKarlstrassewhichhesupported founded his attheageof22, and, 1850, 1, HeisthemostpopularmaninParis.” makes. year around 80to100,000 Thaler whichhe Ricord lives like aprinceandspendsevery with hispeculiarkindnessandoriginality. a clown ifhewouldn’t charmeverybody only jokes andwhomeverybody would call but never uttersaseriousword, sour face, never makes a always laughs, and halfdances, butalways halfruns a manwhonever walks, Imagine original amongallFrench physicians. (1800-1899). experience working underPhilippeRicord school....” approaches entirely totheoldBeer-Jager in hisdiseaseconceptsandtherapeutic hasagood routine butbelongs diagnostician, scientific presentations....He isafirm more thechatterofoldwomen than Despite his tendency to be forthright and Despite histendencytobeforthright Graefe In 1852, Graefe returned toBerlinonNovember “Ricord isobviously themostgenialand In anotherletterhewritesofhis gladly. substance andresemble oig ebs,lack verbose, boring, are the otherhand, on Hislectures, value. alone gives hisclinicits abundance ofmaterial patients are seen.This and 200to300old time about40to50new Each number ofpatients. clinic treats alarge Sichel’s three hours). times (eachtimefor hours) andthelatterfive (each timefor four held three timesweekly firstis Desmarres.The the clinicsofSicheland visitregularly Graefe.“I most important,” wrote “Ophthalmology is “Ophthalmology the initiative.” only because nobodyelseseemstotake Ihave cometothisconclusion capabilities; done thisnotbecauseIoverestimate my Icanassure thereaders thatIhave Indeed, would undertake suchan endeavour. surprising thatsuchayoung investigator colleaguesmay findit wrote:“Some contributed 2,500pages. hehad publication ofvolume 16, Bythe pages were writtenby Graefe. forefront ofalllivingophthalmologists. elevated this26-year-old mantothe Graefe’s career andwhich “suddenly Hirschberg describesastheturningpointin journal enduring legacy. ophthalmic literature remains another Hs contributiontothedevelopment of Graefe’s archives brainandotherorgans. eye, heart, diligence thediseasesoflungs, that eachphysician shouldstudywithequal Healsoinsisted other medicalspecialties. education andshouldbeequivalenttoall ofmedical isanintegralpart ophthalmology professor in1866. eye –before beingelevated tofull first Germanprofessor ofdiseasesthe Professor in1857–the ofOphthalmology In thepreface tothefirstissueGraefe themajorityof480 In thefirstissue, Graefe founded the of1854, In January One ofGraefe’s basictenetswasthat He wasappointed Extraordinary Archiv fürOphthalmologie Archiv which The History ofOphthalmology. The History please consult Volume 11ofJuliusHirschberg’s, ophthalmologist. give helpaslonghecoulddoit.” of anovercrowded outpatientclinicandto immerse himselfintothestaleatmosphere ofbreath preventedshortness himto no Noweakness, renewed ophthalmology. old andhelefttomankindareformed and von Graefe was42yearsvictory.Albrecht conquered theOrientleadingGreece to Great was32whenhediedafterhad Hirschbergwrote: achievement, OfGraefe’s with theSchumannstrasse. atthecrossing oftheLuisen 1882, May 22, succumbed tothedisease. Graefe agedonly 42, in1870, returned; prematurely when Graefe’s tuberculosis Theirs wasaloving marriage thatended hemarried next year, Anna GräfinKnuth. inthe the conditionwent intoremission; but Graefe developed tuberculosis, In1861, Final years Ophthalmology for ClinicalandExperimental Archive still publishedunderthetitleof von Graefe's fürOphthalmologie Archiv uhrsnt:For more aboutGraefe’s life, Author’s note: A fittingtributetoaremarkable manand the “This now istheend.Alexander A memorialwasraisedinhishonouron The journalwaslaterrenamed Albrecht vonGraefememorialsituatedintheCharitéBerlin publishedby Springer. , by ColinKerr Graefe's Albrecht andis ,