The Origin of the Speculum.....

The speculum most women experience today is largely credited to a man named James Marion Sims, often heralded as the father of American gynecology. He was a controversial figure even in his day, and should probably remain one now.

Sims's early gynecological experiments were done on slave women who, in many cases, he purchased and kept as property in the back of his private hospital. Along with this violent legacy, Sims left behind a few medical advances and inventions—one of them being the vaginal speculum. While the design has been refined, the speculum women see today isn't all that different from the one Sims used on his captive patients.

http://io9.com/the-origin-of-the-speculum-is-just-as-creepy-as-you-ima-1659870452

original article here

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/11/why-no-one-can-design-a-better-speculum/382534/

your thoughts ?

There was also an ancient Roman speculum that was found in a dig once, very similar to what we use today.

Very interesting history lesson! Thanks for sharing it with us!