Diseases Of The Nose Throat And Ear

150

THE LARYNX, BRONCHI AND OESOPHAGUS

head mirror from a bull's-eye lamp. When the light is properly directed on to
the patient's lips the laryngeal mirror, held in the right hand after the manner
of a pen and with the reflecting surface downwards and forwards, is heated
over the flame of a spirit lamp until the moisture which has condensed on its
surface has evaporated. It is now suitably warmed for introduction but it
should first be tested against the cheek in case it is too hot.

Fig. 68. Indirect laryngoscopy. The drawing on the right illustrates the placing of the mirror against the
soft palate to obtain a reflected image. The drawing on the left shows how the right and left vocal
cords are reversed in the mirror (cf. Fig. 69).

Fig. 69. Indirect laryngoscopy. The view obtained in the mirror.

The patient is asked to protrude his tongue as far as possible and the
anterior part of the tongue is grasped by a swab held in the left hand.
Edentulous patients should have removed their dentures because there is
always the chance that they may slip thus causing apprehension to the patient
who will not open his mouth sufficiently for examination. The patient is
requested to breathe quietly through the mouth and the mirror is gently
placed on the anterior surface of the uvula (Fig. 68). The light illuminates the
mirror and the laryngeal image is seen as shown in Figs. 68 and 69. The anterior