The estimation of object volume from rotationally randomised sections relie
s on an ancient geometrical principle due to the Alexandrian mathematician
Pappus. In this paper we describe two studies that make estimates of eye vo
lume using a stereological version of the Pappus principle. The first study
uses a design-based version of the Pappus theorem to make estimates of eye
volume in Sprague-Dawley rats and the second uses a model-based implementa
tion for estimating eye volume in juvenile Dover sole. In the sole study we
compare the estimates of volume with estimates made using the Cavalieri me
thod and show that the Pappus method gives identical volume estimates with
a markedly lower coefficient of variation (2.5%) than the Cavalieri method
(13.5%).