probe

[L. probare, to test.] A slender rod of silver or other flexible metal, with blunt bulbous tip, used for exploring sinuses, fistulas, or other cavities, or wounds. Anel's p., Kfilaton's p., etc., see the proper names, elec'tric p., Lilienthal 's* p. meer's chaum p., a bullet probe with meerschaum tip, which coming in contact with a leaden bullet will receive a mark, ver'tebrated p., a p. made up of a series of short bits of metal hinged together, which readily accommodates itself to all the sinuosities of a fistula or other tract, telephon'ic p., Girdner's* p.