author
Douglas Argyll Robertson
1837–1909
A pioneering Scottish eye surgeon, he helped shape modern ophthalmology and gave his name to one of medicine’s best-known clinical signs. His work linked careful observation with practical treatment, and it still echoes through neurology and eye care today.
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Case of Filaria loa
by Douglas Argyll Robertson
About the author
Born in Edinburgh in 1837, Douglas Argyll Robertson came from a medical family and trained in Scotland before continuing his studies in Europe. He built his career as an ophthalmologist at a time when eye surgery was becoming a specialty in its own right.
He is best remembered for describing the Argyll Robertson pupil, a striking sign later closely associated with neurosyphilis. He also introduced physostigmine from the Calabar bean into ophthalmic practice, an important step in the treatment of certain eye conditions.
Robertson became a leading figure in Edinburgh medicine and served as president of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He died on 3 January 1909, but his name remains familiar to generations of medical students and clinicians.