# Doctor head mirrors **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 17, 2024, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704 "2024-05-17T15:49:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2024, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/21 "2024-05-18T18:37:36Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Well, mirrors with holes in them are marketed as heliographs or emergency signal mirrors, for instance. Those are used a bit differently. You don’t put them right up to your eye; you hold it out in front. They’re mirrored on both sides, and you look through the hole at the target, but also look at the reflection of the ground in the back mirror-surface. When you can see the target through the hole, and can also see the reflection of the thing’s shadow (with a bright spot in the middle of it), you’re aimed right. Thanks to @CalMeacham for introducing me to how such devices work. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/22 "2024-05-19T00:51:42Z")
I understand, but note that at least some emergency mirrors come with instructions to and are set up to hold them close to the eye: look at the first guy here: [How to use a Signal Mirror - Outdoor Revival](https://www.outdoorrevival.com/kit-and-equipment/use-signal-mirror.html) His mirror appears to be of the type with a small reflector around the hole, instead of the entire back being silvered. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/23 "2024-05-19T02:34:06Z")
The first picture shows that, but the page also says that it’s important to use them right, and the directions don’t actually match the first picture (rather, they seem to be the same method I described). ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/24 "2024-05-19T03:38:40Z")
I don’t remember a doctor ever using them. But I also don’t remember a portrayal of a doctor using them. Maybe they were representative of doctors in 30s movies, but not anything more recent. Do people have any examples of recent uses in movies or TV? Even comical ones? Should have searched first. “Hand mirror” reveals that Cecil (anybody remember him?) did a column on this back in 1993 and the topic of what the heck are these popped up several times in the early years of the column. No one I found gave any examples of actually seeing a head mirror in anything, just wondering what they were. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/25 "2024-05-19T03:45:23Z")
The guy who played the hick doctor on _Hee Haw_ wore one, as I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/26 "2024-05-19T03:56:31Z")
Hee Haw ran from 1969 to 1997, so that doesn’t necessarily narrow down to recent. Yeah, _Hee Haw_ was simultaneous with _Laugh-In_. Prius vs. Pickup even then. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeysBrother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@MonkeysBrother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeysBrother)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/27 "2024-05-19T04:02:34Z")
I learned to use one when I was an intern (1973-4). We had headlights but the head of ENT insisted we also learn to use the mirrors. As Qadgop said, they take a little getting used to. But once you figured it out, they provided great illumination of throats. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/28 "2024-05-19T04:54:20Z")
My dermatologist has been using one for as long as I’ve known him, 15 years. My husband first went to him 40 years ago and has a Monday appointment with him; I’ll ask him if he was using one back then and if he’s still using it now. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/29 "2024-05-19T05:48:01Z")
The text on the page is rather unfortunately written, since at least two or three different types of heliographs are pictured. The actual directions for the first one should be something like this: [![](https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-vkefyy7j0b/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/1446/5060/signal_mirror__48097.1518540432.jpg) ](https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-vkefyy7j0b/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/1446/5060/signal_mirror__48097.1518540432.jpg) The difference to a doctor’s mirror is that with the patient right in front of you rather than off towards the horizon, there is no need for the retroreflective thingy in the center to aim the spot of light. Also, a doctor’s mirror may be curved instead of flat. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/30 "2024-05-19T06:06:59Z")
Well, it was more recent than the 30s, the frame of reference you provided. Some gratitude. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/31 "2024-05-19T11:54:53Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Even comical ones? Didn’t remember anything, but when I was searching for images I found Dr. Mario from the 1990 game. > **[Dr. Mario](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Mario)** > > Dr. Mario is a 1990 puzzle video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Famicom, and Game Boy. It was produced by Gunpei Yokoi and designed by Takahiro Harada. The soundtrack was composed by Hirokazu Tanaka. > It is a falling block puzzle game, in which the player's objective is to destroy the viruses populating the on-screen playing field by using colored vitamin capsules that are automatically tossed into the field by Dr. Mario. The player manipulates ... ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/32 "2024-05-19T11:58:43Z")
I can’t remember, did any of the doctors on M\*A\*S\*H wear one? ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/33 "2024-05-19T12:08:45Z")
Found one picture: > **[The Novocaine Mutiny (1976)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0638450/mediaviewer/rm2364975105/)** > > William Christopher in M\*A\*S\*H (1972) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2024, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/34 "2024-05-19T13:09:23Z")
When I was a kid the family dentist used one. Weird looking bald guy. Wore a white jacket with the collar that closed around his neck. Im sure he was a sadist and tried to make himself look like a mad scientist to increase his pleasure by instilling fear in his victims. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/35 "2024-05-20T06:42:26Z")
Did he drive a motorcycle and sing a lot? ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/36 "2024-05-20T14:17:26Z")
This cartoon popped up on my feed today. The image of a doctor wearing these things is still very much alive in the public consciousness. Here a recent cartoon depicts a doctor wearing one. [![](https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1l1Ihp.img?w=800&h=435&q=60&m=2&f=jpg) ](https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1l1Ihp.img?w=800&h=435&q=60&m=2&f=jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/37 "2024-05-20T15:22:46Z")
The last doctors I saw wearing them was Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/38 "2024-05-20T20:47:23Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Cecil (anybody remember him?) Blasphemy! Of course we remember the Perfect Master. Stone the unbeliever! ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/39 "2024-05-20T21:31:02Z")
The mirrors may be decades obsolete, but you still see them used in graphics as a symbol for a doctor or the medical profession. It’s similar to the way an article about the Federal budget might be accompanied by a pie chart superimposed on the image of a Morgan silver dollar. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2024, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704/40 "2024-05-21T01:06:38Z")
I doubt The Lockhorns are that currenr with the social gestalt [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-head-mirrors/1001704.md?page=3)