(1125) The Head Mirror: How This Otolaryngological Instrument Became the Symbol for Physicians

Introduction: The head mirror was invented by Friedrich Hoffmann in 1841 and popularized by Anton von Troeltsch in 1855, whose design is still used to this day. Though it was primarily used by otolaryngologists over the years, it is used ubiquitously as a symbol to represent doctors in the popular press and media.

Methods: Literature review was conducted including primary references exploring the history and development of the head mirror, followed by a secondary search of references cited by retrieved articles. Historic physician manuals were identified via MEDLINE search using the term “head mirror”. Primary sources such as cartoons and newspapers were also utilized.

Results: After the introduction of the head mirror in 1841, it appeared in manuals of general practitioners, but it continues to be used by modern otolaryngologists today. The head mirror can be seen in popular media dating back to 1930 to this present day, now an iconic symbol of the general physician. In 1982, the physician Edward Shaw wrote a letter titled “Our Doctors are Outdated” to the journal of Alpha Omega Alpha, criticizing the use of head mirrors to represent doctors. This coincides with the rise of handheld lights, suggesting the time when head mirrors fell out of use by the general practitioner.

Conclusions: While history often leads us to understand how symbols arise, we can only postulate the cultural reasons why certain symbols persist through time. Perhaps it is the striking appearance, the visual humor, or the nostalgic aspect of the head mirror in combination with its historical significance that it has been permanently etched into the image of the physician. While the everyday use of the head mirror may be declining, its use in the popular press and visual media is as pervasive as ever.