The Coxeter Ophthalmoscope of 1886 is a non-luminous instrument with a distinctive and practical design innovation — a double-sided mirror, one side plane and the other concave, that can be switched by simply removing the spigot from the holder and turning the mirror 180 degrees. This allowed the examiner to choose between two different illumination characteristics without carrying a separate instrument, making the Coxeter a versatile and economical choice for the practicing physician. The lens track, though limited, provides powers of plus 1, 2, and 4 diopters and minus 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 diopters — a practical range for correcting the examiner’s refractive error during fundus examination.
The ophthalmoscope of James Coxeter and Son was presented in The Lancet, where the author made a compelling argument for early ophthalmoscopic training — stressing that medical students should be trusted with the instrument as early as possible, since the opportunity to learn rarely presents itself later in a physician’s career. The quote is memorable: “The student only achieves the necessary familiarity with his own instrument.” The Coxeter ophthalmoscope sold for 15 shillings — a price that unfortunately kept many medical students from being able to afford one, limiting the spread of ophthalmoscopic skills among general practitioners of the era.
The firm of James Coxeter was founded in 1836, and in 1870 his son became a partner. Their premises at 23 and 24 Grafton Street East, Tottenham Court Road, London, were among the well-known addresses of the Victorian optical trade. This specimen is missing its mirror but is otherwise in good condition — a genuine and historically significant instrument from one of Victorian London’s respected optical firms.
