What happens next to the spit and the speculum?
Because the speculum is so hated, inventors have tried for a century to replace it. Alternatives include: the spit and speculum
– The pairing suggests a study contrasting how different bodily fluids (saliva) or orifices are treated in clinical settings, possibly critiquing gynecological exams as overly mechanical or dehumanizing compared to, say, saliva-based diagnostics (which have become more common with COVID testing, genomics, etc.). What happens next to the spit and the speculum
Before the blood draw, before the biopsy, there was the spit. Human saliva is 99.5% water, but that remaining 0.5% contains a forensic goldmine: enzymes, antibodies, hormones, and DNA. To collect it, however, one must first endure the ritual of . Before the blood draw, before the biopsy, there was the spit
– It could be the title of a paper examining the symbolic and practical roles of spit (ritual, diagnostic, communicative) and the speculum (medical control, patriarchy, objectification) across cultures or time periods.
The use of instruments in gynecology dates back to ancient civilizations, with evidence of primitive speculums and other medical tools being used by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. However, it wasn't until the 19th century that the modern speculum began to take shape. The introduction of the speculum in the 1800s revolutionized the field of gynecology, enabling doctors to visually examine the cervix and vagina, leading to a better understanding of various gynecological conditions.