Selected monographs.

Date:
1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Selected monographs. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    25/368 (page 7)
    DESCRIPTION OE THE MODE OE EXAMINATION OF LISTON AND GARCIA. The principle of the method of Liston and Garcia, which renders the larynx and neighbouring parts accessible to view in the living, is remarkably simple.1 A small, flat mirror, with a long stem, previously warmed to pre- vent its being tarnished by the breath, is introduced into the mouth, widely open, as far as its back part. It is then held up in such a manner as to permit the rays to penetrate it, on the one hand, and consequently to illuminate those parts which it is desirable to examine ; and on the other hand, the image of those parts is re-, fleeted into the eye of the observer. It is understood that the ob- jects reflected are reversed ; and consequently the right vocal cord appears on the left side, in the same manner as the right hand of any person placed before a looking-glass is found to be on the left side of the figure. When a person wishes to examine himself, it is requisite to em- ploy a second flat mirror, according to Garcia, which reflects the image of the subjacent parts represented by the laryngeal mirror. This image, twice repeated, is symmetrical, according to the nature of the object ; thus the right vocal cord appears to the right, and so on. In any particular instance (see note on next page) when it is desired to interrupt the course of the luminous rays several times, we may employ two mirrors instead of one only, as I have already recommended ('Bib./ Nos. i and 16). 1 Garcia, loc. cit. The method which I have adopted is very simple ; it con- sists in placing a little mirror, fixed on a long handle suitably bent, in the throat of the person experimented on, against the soft palate and uvula. The party ought to turn himself towards the sun, so that the luminous rays falling on the little mirror may be reflected on the larynx. If the observer experiments on himself, he ought, by means of a second mirror, to receive the rays of the sun and direct them on the mirror which is placed against the uvula.