Kollman's urethral dilator, nickel plated brass, by Down Bros., London, 1901-1915

Kollman’s urethral dilator is used to open up a urethra that may have become closed and blocked due to disease – a condition known medically as a stricture. Strictures are caused by diseases such as gonorrhoea. The end of the instrument is inserted into the urethra and opened up. The treatment would have been painful but was performed under local anaesthetic. The instrument is known as an ‘umbrella’ due to its shape and would be used in hospitals by surgeons specialising in urology. The instrument was invented in the 1800s by the German urologist Arthur Kollman.