Light out of deep darkness

A biography of the eye surgeon Arthur Ferguson MacCallan and his pioneering work in the treatment of trachoma in Egypt between 1903 and 1923.

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This biography of the eye surgeon Arthur Ferguson MacCallan is an insightful perspective on the life and work of the exceptional medical and ophthalmic pioneer.
In 1903, Arthur MacCallan accepted a position in Egypt to establish the country’s first travelling ophthalmic hospital, funded by the British philanthropist Sir Ernest Cassel. Over the next two decades, Arthur established an extensive network of over twenty ophthalmic hospitals which attended to over 1.5 million patients and performed over 76,000 operations. He also founded the Memorial Ophthalmic Laboratory at Giza which continues to play a pivotal role in ophthalmic care today.
Arthur was a world authority on trachoma, and the MacCallan Classification, developed in 1905, was adopted by the World Health Organisation as its standard in 1952. This is still recognised today as a major contribution in the fight against trachoma. Set against the backdrop of political unrest, world war, and the rapidly changing relationship between Britain and Egypt during the momentous years of the early 1900s, Arthur’s grandson Michael tells his fascinating story, brought to life through original letters, documents, colourful anecdotes and 160 photographs.
Lord Cromer, British Consul General, Egypt (1883-1907) said “I regard the campaign against ophthalmia as one of the most important and useful works undertaken in Egypt.”