Artificial Eye
Artificial Eye
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- Description
- While working at the Valley Forge General Hospital during World War II, three Army dentists—Capt. Stanley F. Erpf, Maj. Victor H. Dietz, and Maj. Milton S. Wirtz—made plastic eyes and taught the technique to others. This is one of those eyes.
- Ref: “3 Army Dental Officers Find Way To Make Eyes of Plastic,” [Louisville] The Courier Journal (Jan. 1, 1945), p. 7.
- “Dentists Making Plastic Eyes For Blind Veterans,” Los Angeles Times (July 15, 1946), p. A1.
- “Plastic Eyes,” The Army Nurse 2 (June 1945): 9.
- Capt. Stanley F. Erpf, Maj. Victor H. Dietz, and Maj. Milton S. Wirtz, “Prosthesis of the Eye in Synthetic Resin,” Bulletin of the U.S. Army Medical Department (July 1945): 76-86.
- Victor H. Dietz, Stanley F. Erpf, and Milton S. Wirtz, “Artificial Eye,” U.S. Patent 2,497,872 (Feb. 21, 1950).
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- Artificial Eye
- eye, artificial
- prosthesis, model
- Other Terms
- Artificial Eye; Prostheses
- Date made
- 1943
- 1943
- 1943
- associated dates
- 1950 02 21 / 1950 02 21
- maker
- Dietz, Victor H.
- Wirtz, Milton S.
- Erph, Stanley F.
- place made
- United States: Pennsylvania, Phoenixville
- United States: Pennsylvania, Phoenixville
- United States: Pennsylvania, Phoenixville
- Physical Description
- acrylic resin (overall material)
- rayon (overall material)
- cellulose acetate (overall material)
- paint, oil (overall material)
- white (overall color)
- blue (overall color)
- black (overall color)
- gold (overall color)
- red (overall color)
- molded (overall production method/technique)
- Measurements
- average spatial: 11.7 cm x 5 cm; 4 5/8 in x 1 15/16 in
- overall: 4 5/8 in x 2 in x 2 3/4 in; 11.7475 cm x 5.08 cm x 6.985 cm
- ID Number
- 1991.0417.09
- catalog number
- 1991.0417.09
- accession number
- 1991.0417
- Credit Line
- Dr. Milton S. Wirtz
- See more items in
- Medicine and Science: Medicine
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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