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History of the Cystoscope

From Cruise to the present

Previously published papers, archived and stored in the library for personal reading

1865: Sir Francis Cruise
The endoscope as an aid to the diagnosis and treatment of disease
BMJ 1865; 2: 329-363

In 1865 Cruise introduced an improved version of Desmoreaux's endoscope by using a mixture of petroleum and dissolved camphor to replace Desormeaux’s early gasoline mix, and thus significantly enhanced the lens system ... Read the paper


1867: R Archer Warwick
A new form of endoscope
BMJ 1867; 1: 124

Mr Warwick of Richmond designed a new endoscope that used natural "north" light instead of an artificial light source ... Read the paper


1888: E Hurry Fenwick
The electrical illumination of the male bladder by means of the new incandescent lamp cystoscope
BMJ 1888; 1: 240-241

Hurry Fenwick from The London and St Peter's Hospitals was a great proponent of the cystoscope. Here he describes the new Nitze and Leiter models incorporating the Swan / Edison light bulbs ... Read the paper


1888: Sir Henry Thompson
Clinical lecture on the Leiter's endoscope in the treatment of vesical disease
BMJ 1888; 1: 775-776

Henry Thompson reviews the new Leiter endoscope and concludes it would best used for complex cases only ... Read the paper

Review articles, either archived & stored as PDFs in the library or available on-line for logged-in subscribers

1973: David Wallace
New Lamps For Old
Proc Roy Soc Med 1973; 66: 455-458

This is David Wallace's RSM Urology Section Presidential address from 1973 - 4. It is a good account of the history of the cystoscope ... Read the paper


1974: Prof John Mitchell
The Optical Criteria of Urological Endoscopes
Proc Roy Soc Med 1974: 67: 803-812

This is John Mitchell's RSM Urology Section Presidential address from 1974 - 5. It is an interesting review of endoscope optics ... Read the paper


2002: Jhoyti Shah
Endoscopy Through the Ages
BJU Int 2002; 89: 645–652

Jhoyti Shah's paper on the history of endoscopy is a great summary and a very enjoyable read (only available to logged-in BAUS members) ... Read online


2009: Mary K Samplaski & J Stephen Jones
Two centuries of cystoscopy: the development of imaging, instrumentation and synergistic technologies
BJU Int 2009; 103: 154–158

Another good overview of the history of cystoscopes by two clinicians at the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio (only available to logged-in BAUS members) ... Read online

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