Chevalier John Taylor, England’s Early Oculist: Pretender or Pioneer?

Dr. Daniel M. Albert, MD, MS; Sarah L. Atzen, MLIS, BA

Parallel Press is pleased to announce the publication of Chevalier John Taylor, England’s Early Oculist: Pretender or Pioneer?, by UW professor and physician Daniel M. Albert and Sarah L. Atzen. This volume is a lively, engrossing examination of a flamboyant “ophthalmiater” who served the crowned heads of 18th-century Europe—with sometimes devastating results.

Chevalier John Taylor was the 18th century “poster child” for quacks and the man who allegedly blinded both Bach and Handel. However, in the publication, Chevalier John Taylor, England’s Early Oculist: Pretender or Pioneer?, the authors present lesser-known evidence that Taylor was the first to successfully operate on strabismus (crossed eyes) and had unusual success with other eye operations.

Dr. Daniel M. Albert received an MD degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1962, and an MS in Health Administration from the UW–Madison in 1997. He is the F.A. Davis Professor and Chair Emeritus in the Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Department at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, as well as the RRF Emmett A. Humble Distinguished Director of the UW Eye Research Institute. He has been involved in medical student teaching and house staff training since 1969 and is a mentor to many current practicing ophthalmologists around the country.

Dr. Albert’s specialty areas in ophthalmology are pathology and oncology. His other interests include medical ethics and the history of medicine and ophthalmology. He is the author of more than 600 peer-reviewed research publications and 30 textbooks and monographs. He and his wife, Eleanor, are Friends of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Libraries and have donated much of their personal library to the Albert Collection of optics and the eye, part of the Special Collections at the UW Memorial Library for the history of science. Currently, Dr. Albert is the editor of the Archives of Ophthalmology, an international peer-reviewed ophthalmology and visual science journal, a position he has held for the past 17 years. He is also a blogger for the journal Science’s Career Blog where he posts informational articles about scientific careers from a physician-scientist perspective. You can find his blog postings at http://blogs.sciencemag.org/sciencecareers/dan-albert.

Sarah L. Atzen is the editor for the Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Department at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She received her Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree from UW–Milwaukee in 2010 and graduated with distinction from UW–Madison in 2002 with a BA, double majoring in English and History with Certificates in Environmental Studies and Criminal Justice. She works with Dr. Albert as a researcher, editor, and co-author on many publishing projects. Together, they have co-authored two peer-reviewed articles pertaining to medical and ophthalmic history and are working on additional publications.

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