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Caption:

Made by Mathieu of Paris, this vaginal speculum was invented by Marie Boivin (1773-1841), one of the foremost French midwives of the 19th century. A speculum is a metal instrument used to dilate an orifice or canal, permitting internal examination. Vaginal specula slowly came into use in the diagnosis and treatment of women's disorders in the 19th century. This type is said to have been used by Philippe Ricord (1799-1889) when treating Empress Eugenie of France (1826-1920).