Because infants and children fail to expectorate or have a tendency to swallow their coughed up secretions and sputums, various indirect methods have been employed for the purpose of obtaining material for cultural studies. These have varied from that of tickling the pharynx and having the patient cough into Petri dishes containing culture mediums, to that of introducing an aspirating needle directly through the wall of the chest to obtain material for study.
Direct laryngoscopy affords a simple method for procuring secretions from the larynx, trachea or bronchi of infants and children. It is done quickly, does not provoke much resistance from the patients and exerts no harmful influence on their general condition. No anesthesia is used. The instruments needed are a direct laryngoscope, a suction apparatus, a Yankauer suction tube and a specimen collector. If smears are to be made, applicators or swabs are necessary. The procedure may be