text: what is an "otis bulb"? pertaining to genitourinary surgery. the inventor, otis charles white, was a practicing dentist in massachusetts during the days when gas lamps were the top lighting technology. at that time, because there was no source for quality adjustable lamps, otis white invented and built the first "gas" lamp fixture designed specifically for his own use in dentistry. in the 1880's, edison incandescent electric lamps began to quickly replace gas lighting. a true visionary in his own field, doctor white set out to redesign his medical specialty gas lamp fixture by adapting electric components to his fixture. doctor white understood that dentistry and other procedures required a special light source that could be easily, quickly, and reliably directed and locked upon the important area of need. doctor white was familiar with this special requirement because of his early experiments with his first gas dentist's lamp. he put his skill and attention to detail, and the popularity of his new electric "dentist's" light became the talk of the industry. colleagues began to request it. to keep up with this new growing demand, doctor white founded the o.c. white company in 1894. immediately o.c. white company became famous, known worldwide as the maker of the finest professional adjustable specialty lighting fixtures in the 1890's.  features and details: this specialty lamp fixture has a superbly detailed cast iron victorian base that is approximately eight inches square and three inches high. the base is accented with a beautifully proportioned round two inch cast brass transition ring made in a classic embossed floral design. the smooth brass stem is 1.5" diameter and 7" tall up to the second transition. the stem vertical extension is a 10" x 5/8" diameter "barber pole" brass rope. at the top of the barber pole stem is a brass ball. the adjustable "boom" arm has the o. c. white solid cast iron adjustor equipped with their trademark heavy 1.5" diameter iron knob (cast with eight individual 3/8" balls equally spaced around the circumference). the adjuster allows the boom arm to be set at a desired angle and moved up and down the vertical stem to change height. the end of the boom arm has a second adjuster made of solid cast iron used to angle the lamp socket. the socket base is furnished with a secondary brass arm that supports the brass lamp hood. the hood shrouds the edison lamp socket and light bulb. the solid brass hood has a craftsman hammered embossed festoon filigree accent and is attached via a scalloped self tensioned adjustment hinge that allows the illuminating light to be fine tuned and directed as needed. this extraordinary lamp fixture stands 24" tall is 24" long and 8" wide.