Endoscope

An endoscope comprising:

• a first bending portion that is the distal portion of an elongated insertion member and has a plurality of joint pieces concatenated so that the joint pieces can rotate freely;
• a second bending portion that is located proximally to said first bending portion and has a plurality of joint pieces concatenated so that the joint pieces can rotate freely;
• a first control member included in a hand-held unit proximal to said insertion member, and used to bend said first bending portion;
• a second control member included in the hand-held unit proximal to said insertion member, and used to bend said second bending portion;
• and
• an elastic member with which the peripheries of said first bending portion and said second bending portion are sheathed.

An endoscope comprising:

• a first bending portion that is the distal portion of an elongated insertion member and has a plurality of joint pieces concatenated so that the joint pieces can rotate freely;
• a second bending portion that is located proximally to said first bending portion and has a plurality of joint pieces concatenated so that the joint pieces can rotate freely;
• a first control member included in a hand-held unit proximal to said insertion member, and used to bend said first bending portion;
• a second control member included in the hand-held unit proximal to said insertion member, and used to bend said second bending portion;
• an elastic member with which the peripheries of said first bending portion and said second bending portion are sheathed;
• a first control wire run through said insertion member and pulled or slackened in order to bend said first bending portion;
• a first coil pipe lying through said insertion member and having said first control wire passed through it;
• a second control wire run through said insertion member and pulled or slackened in order to bend said second bending portion;
• and
• a second coil pipe lying through said insertion member and having said second control wire passed through it.