On application of pressure to the external ear canal with the help of a pneumatic ear speculum the mass could be seen to blanch.

Despite the theoretical advantages of the reflector design, the difficulty of construction and the poor performance of the speculum metal mirrors being used at the time meant it took over 100 years for them to become popular.

The Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae , Mirror of the Magnificence of Rome was a Renaissance coffee table book of prints of the sights of Rome, especially the antiquities, produced by the French print seller and publisher Antonio Lafreri (or Antoine du Pérac Lafréry, 1512 77).