Retinoblastomas

Abstract

The investigation of the nature of this retinal cancer provides a fascinating story in itself, the unfolding of which has been mirrored in changes in nomenclature; to no other tumour has such a wealth of names been applied. Apart from one or two earlier observations, knowledge of this eye disease was first founded in the early 19th century, notably by WARDROP (1809) who must be credited with the first proper, clinical description of the “Fungus haematodes” of the eye, based on 17 cases; the actual tumours had a soft or “medullary” form with a resemblance to nervous tissue. In the succeeding quarter of a century these tumours were frequently reported as Fungus haematodes and/or medullaris, as by LANGENBECK (1822) and by MIDDLEMORE (1830). Somewhat later and in the middle decades of the 19th century this use of physical characteristics was continued, reflecting in particular the resemblance to cerebral matter, as “encephaloid tumour”, “encephaloid degeneration of the retina” or even “encephaloma retinae” (CARTER, 1863) and perhaps prophetically “De l’encephaloide et du pseudo-encephaloide de la retine et du nerf optique” (SICHEL, 1859).