It's not what it seems: strange object!

He he. No need to get personal.  you're getting " closer" than you think! Think removal, cleaning...

Bladder stone remover?

You're not suggesting that they'd poke it up your willy, surely?

Wha? I got it right? First time I ever won anything! I'm so proud and so much richer! When is the ceremony?

Ouch!

That's next week when I pay a visit to the STD clinic.

Indeed, thank you Tony. Those stones must hurt a great deal to contemplate having one of those inserted...

Fortunately  they (doctors) don't have to touch them. They've been about the same size for the last 4 years and I really don't fancy going under the knife at the moment. Ive been advised to leave them alone if they are not causing any discomfort or pain. It's all good. 

In Pepys' wonderful diary, there is a detailed description of the (then very hazardous and painful) removal of his bladder stone in 1658.

Not for the squeamish - especially given that the stone was almost as big as a tennis ball!

Pepys celebrated the anniversary of the removal of the stone for many years afterwards.

don't they use ultrsonic sound to break them up nowadays, or have I just dreamed that?  My wife had gall stones when she was young, she said it was as painful as giving birth

I can only imagine, Kev. Thank goodness for scientific developments and it is truly disturbing what peope had to go through in those days. I wonder what our descendants will make of the " barbaric" treatments offered at the present day in 500  years time.

That will depend on the size of the the stones . I had that done to the other stones on my right side, lithotripsy, but didn't work so the doctors opted instead for  ureteroscopy. Unfortunately the stones on my left hand side can't be reached that easily and require intrusive operation on my back  which I'm not so keen. 

Sorry to hear that Tony, can't be pleasant

It's all good. Glad we had a laugh though...

  a laugh always helps.  Best wishes, David

Indeed Tony. The "stone operation" was dangerous, humiliating and extraordinarily painful - and could last up to half an hour . But many, Pepys included, were willing to risk it because they knew the condition was both potentially life-threatening and excruciating.

Interestingly, treatments are becoming increasingly less invasive and I would imagine that in a century or so virtually all procedures will be accomplished by lasers, drugs, ultrasound or nanobots meanig that surgery and "cutting" will be the exception rather than the rule - one only has to look at the treatment of peptic ulcers in the 2010s compared to say, the 1960s.

A wee (sorry) bit more history.

Early surgery (including 'cutting for the stone') was seen as beneath the practice of most physicians.

This led to the development of barber surgeons in the Middle Ages, moving from original hair cutting roles (probably in monasteries) to various other surgical procedures both military and civilian. Some legacies of this history include the symbolic blood stained bandages of the barbers red/white striped shop pole and also the fact that a senior qualified medical surgeon loses the title Dr and becomes Mr/Mrs or Miss on reaching that status.

Some might still argue that surgeons remain a breed apart, stuck in the Middle Ages and beneath contempt but I could not possibly comment.

Bruce

I'm a fan of Western movies and any 1800s US frontier town always has the obligate barber (with barber pole). Barber, dentist, and surgeon of bullet wounds when a proper 'doc' wasn't otherwise present. Perhaps due to the presence of a sharp straight razor and a steady hand. Not a responsibility I'd want as a barber.

It is standard practice to access the inside of  your bladder via the penis... known as a flexible cystoscapy,  quite a thick pipe which contains a light, a camera and can also fit some tiny pincers..

I know because I have had 6 of the sods,   and due my next one in october...

It is actually not as horrific as it sounds, apart from the feeling of peeing through broken glass for 24 hours afterwards...

Rigid instruments are still used though for some procedures. Wince.

I had a cystoscopy five or so years ago and it was incredibly unpleasant. I had half a dozen injections round the urethra and then a tube about the thickness of a fountain pen was fed in until it reached its destination. Never again hopefully. I felt quite traumatised by it.