Forceps, 1850-1900

Almost everyone is afraid of the bones when eating fish. That fear is not unfounded, because a bone lodged in your oesophagus may eventually have unpleasant consequences.
For this reason an aid was developed in the nineteenth century, with which the doctor could remove objects such as bone splinters and fish bones from the throat. This instrument consisted of a very flexible whalebone, to the tips of which small pieces of natural sponge were attached. When the instrument was passed into the oesophagus via the mouth, the sponge slowly swelled up because of the watery slime present in the gullet. When the doctor withdrew the whalebone, everything stuck to the wall of the oesophagus was brought up with it.