Julius Bruck (1840-1902) and his influence on the endoscopy of today

A hundred years ago, on 20 April 1902, Breslaus most famous dentist of the time died. Julius Bruck was not only the most famous dentist and fighter for dentists' education in Germany in his time, but also one of the most successful inventors. In 1866, he produced light by using an exposed electrically heated platinum loop, which at that time was the most powerful light source known. He conceived of the possibility of placing the source of light in the distal end of an instrument and invented a double glass tube with a water-cooling compartment. This water cooled apparatus (diaphanoscope) was inserted into the rectum or vagina, to transilluminate the bladder. The key to further advances was born with the introduction of an internal electric light source. In 1877, the potential of Bruck's theoretical advance was realised in combination with other advances which virtually established the form of the clinically useful cystoscope as it is used today. The remarkable man responsible for this synthesis was Maximilian Nitze.