Tools of the Trade
A display of historic irology instruments demonstres medicine's evolution through the centuries.
Forerunner of the cystoscope
The earliest device to allow physicians to look inside the human body was invented by German physician Philipp Bozzini. He presented his Lichtleiter, or Light Conductor, at a scientific assembly in 1806, where it was noted that its use for inspecting the pharynx and nasal cavities was remarkable. This replica of the pre-cystoscopy, candle-fueled device joins nearly 600 cystoscopes in the collections featured at the William P. Didusch Center for Urologic History at the American Urological Assn. in Linthicum, Md.
A look inside
A late 1800s cystoscope was lit by a tungsten wire at the tip, covered by a glass casing. The two large connectors were for water cooling, as the instrument would become quite hot. The invention of cystoscopes, which set the groundwork for endoscopy and laparoscopy, is considered among urology's most significant contributions to the field of medicine.
Ancient learning and early self-help
The center's collection includes an extensive assortment of antique medical texts, including handwritten laboratory notebooks from Hugh Hampton Young, MD, considered the "father of American urology." Also plentiful in the collection are catheters, including one carried in a late-1800s hollow cane. The bottom tip of the cane can be unscrewed and the catheter removed. The ivory hand piece, inscribed with the initials PE, unscrews to reveal a small glass cup used to hold lubricant.