This ophthalmoscope belonged to Sir Donald McAlister and was presented to Archibald Young Junior by Lady McAlister. It is contained within a small black leather case with a purple velvet interior.

It consists of the delicate main metal instrument and various glass lenses. The ophthalmoscope has a thin handle which joins onto a circular concave mirror with a small hole in the centre. On the instrument itself there are numerical markings and on the top of the case is the maker's mark "Liebreich".

This is a very early example of an ophthalmoscope. The instrument was invented by Herman Helmholtz in Germany in 1850. The ophthalmoscope, for examining the retina of the eye, revolutionised the practice of ophthalmology, enabling a narrow beam of light to shine through the pupil of the eye thus displaying the retina to the observor. Early ophthalmoscopes relied upon light from a candle or oil lamp to provide illumination, before the days of electric batteries.

Within ten years of the ophthalmoscope being invented ophthalmoscopes had become more sophisticated. The mirror was made adjustable so that light could be reflected on to the eye and a tube, padded at the patient's end for comfort, enclosed the eye.

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The papers of Archibald Young (1913-1966) are in the College Archives (RCPSG 39).