With the multiplicity of instruments already devised for the enucleation of tonsils, one must indeed have a good deal of assurance to bring out something new along these lines. I have felt, however, that the instruments which I am presenting possess sufficient merit to warrant bringing them to the notice of the profession. The combination of instruments which I am presenting has been in use for the past two years, long enough to obtain data as to their practicability and reliability.
The three instruments and devices which I have used for over two years in tonsillectomy are a mouth gag, with a successful lip retractor; a tonsil-seizing forceps combined with a tongue depressor; and a suction apparatus, with a cut-off.
Figure 1 illustrates the mouth gag, which is a Whitehead gag, with the additional lip retractor. I have had as much trouble with the patient's lips getting pinched prior to