Otoscope

An otoscope is a handheld instrument used to examine the ear canal and eardrum, typically combining a light source, a magnifying lens and a narrow cone-shaped speculum inserted into the ear. Various nineteenth-century physicians built early instruments for looking into the ear canal, refining the design over the second half of the 1800s as understanding of ear disease grew, and the source consulted for this entry names no single inventor or exact date for the otoscope as it is known today, so none is recorded here. The modern battery-powered otoscope, standard in general medical examinations, developed further over the twentieth century as compact electric light sources became available.