| Reference Number | MIMM/2018-4/15 |
| Title | Ophtalmic and Otoscopic Diagnostic Set |
| Date | 1925-1975 |
| Creator Name | Down Brothers Ltd.; Surgical instrument makers |
| Description | The black faux-leather box is hinged and secured by two locks. Upon opening, the lid is covered with blue silk fabric printed with golden ink, reading "Down Bros And Mayer & Phelps London". The other part of the case is covered with blue velvet and is divided into compartments where the instruments and accessories are stored. The set consists of a metal handle with a screw lid at the bottom, engraved with "Made in England Down England". The lid is removable to house the batteries. The other end features a screw-in tip to accommodate and secure the accessories, and a sliding black button engraved with "OFF" to operate the light.
The accessories are composed of five bulb lights of different sizes, two round laryngeal mirrors and one triangle-shaped laryngeal mirror. There are two curved shafts, with one side insertable into the handle and the other provided with the light, where the accessories would be push-fit in. One otoscope head with a magnifying lens, engraved with "Down Made in England", three detachable otoscope tips with different sized examination fenestrations, and a nasal speculum expandable thanks to the screw mechanism.
The set is completed with a vulcanite ophthalmoscope head for inspecting the retina and other parts of the eye, featuring white ink writing that reads "MAY Ophthalmoscope Improved" on the top. It also has a rotating mechanism with a circular, textured dial that allows the user to change the focus of the lenses. Through the hole, numbers can be read as engraved in white or red ink, ranging from 0 to 20, with both positive (+) and negative (-) values. These numbers correspond to lens powers and enable precise adjustments for focusing at different depths. A small fenestration (window) at the centre clearly displays the selected number, ensuring accuracy during use.
Part of Dillon Collection. |
| Extent | 16 parts |
| Dimensions | Mirrors: 80mm x 35mm (triangular)
60mm x 20mm (round)
55mm x 15mm (round) |
Otoscopes:
85mm x 20mm 65mm(head)
60mm x 20mm
45mm x 20mm
50mm x 20mm |
| Ophtalmoscope: 95mm x 45mm |
| Handle: 170mm x 35mm |
| Case: 235mm x 195mm x 30mm |
| Digital Collections | View online in our digital collections |
| Copyright | Free to use under the terms of the Creative Commons Licence Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) |
| Credit Line | Royal College of Physicians of Ireland |
| Object Name | Ophthalmoscope |
| Term | Otolaryngology -- instrumentation |
| Physical Examination |
| Ophthalmology -- instrumentation |