[Ads-l] Antedating of "Ophthalmology"

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Excellent topic, Fred.
There are fifteen matches for "ophthalmology" in the first volume of
"The Quarterly Journal of Foreign Medicine and Surgery" which spans
the following dates: November 1818, February 1819, May 1819, August
1819. It is possible that "ophthalmology" was moved from German to
English by the writers of this journal. A linguist may be able to
adjudicate when the word enters the English language.

https://books.google.com/books?id=2tRLAAAAYAAJ&q=Ophthalmology#v=snippet&

Date: November 1818
Periodical: The Quarterly Journal of Foreign Medicine and Surgery
Article III: Sketches of the Medical School of Vienna
The Medical School of Vienna
Publisher: Printed for F. C. and J. Rivington, London

[Begin excerpt from page 39]
Degrees are granted by the University of Vienna in Ophthalmology.
Doctors in medicine and Masters in surgery are considered as having
taken this degree; but no one else can publicly practice as an oculist
in the Austrian States, who has not attended the lectures of Professor
Prochaska, and undergone an examination by him on the diseases of the
eye.
[End excerpt]

[Begin excerpt from page 39]
As for what the Germans have termed Ophthalmology; the science of
Prochaska, the enthusiasm, the profoundness, and the amazing dexterity
of Beer, have contributed to render this one of the favourite studies,
both of those destined to practise surgery, and of those who aim at
the summi honores medicinae.
[End excerpt]

Date: February 1819
Periodical: The Quarterly Journal of Foreign Medicine and Surgery
Article VII: Sketches of the Medical School of Vienna (continuation)
The Medical School of Vienna
Publisher: Printed for F. C. and J. Rivington, London

[Begin excerpt from page 176]
A collection of instruments and bandages, both for the use of the
clinic, and for the illustration of the history of ophthalmology; a
collection of anatomical and pathological preparations of the eye; and
a library of printed books, manuscripts, and drawings, illustrative of
the structure and diseases of that organ; are contained in the
auditorium. The dust of neglect is not allowed to gather on any of
these collections.
[End excerpt]

Please double-check citations and excerpts for typos and OCR errors.
Garson

On Thu, Jun 16, 2022 at 10:16 AM Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at yale.edu> wrote:
>
> ophthalmology (OED 1825)
>
> 1822 _Journal of Foreign Medical Science and Literature_ Jan. 96 ff. (ProQuest)  In Germany and Italy the science of ophthalmology has continued to constitute a part of medical instruction.
>
> NOTE: This is apparently a reprint of a book review in the _London Medico-Chirurgical Review_ (1821).
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org