Laryngoscopal medication, or, the local treatment of the diseases of the throat, larynx, and neighboring organs, under sight / by Louis Elsberg, A.M.

  • Elsberg, Louis.
Date:
1864
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Laryngoscopal medication, or, the local treatment of the diseases of the throat, larynx, and neighboring organs, under sight / by Louis Elsberg, A.M. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    Section 1. The introduction of laryngoscopy, i. e. the method of inspect- ing, by means of a mirror held in the mouth, the larynx and neighboring structures, marks an important era. In rendering accessible to our view, in living working order, organs thus before veiled from mortal eyes, it has not inconsiderably advanced the cause of human investigation. The satisfaction it grants to the inquirer in the fields of general science, of physiology, and of vocal music, is intense. As an aid in diagnosis to the physician, it can truly be said to have revolutionized laryngeal bio pathology ; and, by directly enlarging the field of therapeutics, it has bestowed upon suffering humanity another and still greater boon. The practical advantages of the laryngoscope in medicine were long limited mainly to the recognition of disease;—indi- rectly, it had thus very frequently contributed to the cure. Its capabilities in regard to the latter, with the intelligent eye guiding and controlHng the operating hand, had been early pointed out by Czermak,—but the special instrumental appliances and technical procedures for directly carrying on treatment by its aid remained very imperfect. The ingenious attempts made, and satisfactory results attained, sufficed to show how much can he achieved^^ rather than succeeded in giving to laryngoscopal therapy any rank in the healing art. To speak especially of this country, while there were many who began to use the laryngoscope for diagnostic purposes, I was here the first, and as far as I know, still am the only one who has devised instruments for directly medicating the interior of the larynx, both the organ and the instrument being visible to