University Health Network - Academy of Medicine Collection
Category
Diagnostic & Treatment Artifacts
Classification
Cardiology
Accession Number
1975.2.2
Description
Sphygmograph has a cloth band, a metal box, and a dial; a toggle switch protrudes from the top of the box; a knob at the back right-hand side has an ivory (?) inlay.
Sphygmograph has a cloth band, a metal box, and a dial; a toggle switch protrudes from the top of the box; a knob at the back right-hand side has an ivory (?) inlay.
Number Of Parts
1
Provenance
Acquired from the Academy of Medicine; source: estate of Mr. Campbell R. M. Cowan of Islington, Ont.
Blood pressure is measured and recorded using a sphygmograph. It is strapped to the wrist. The pulse beat is transmitted to a lever which records it on smoked paper. The first efficient sphygmograph was designed by Étienne-Jules Marey (1830-1904) in 1863. This example belonged to Dr Robert Ellis Dudgeon (1820-1904). He was a prominent figure in homeopathy. Dudgeon also made his own changes to Marey’s original design. It was made by instrument maker J. Gauter in 1876. In the late 1800s, physiology teachers used sphygmographs to visually demonstrate blood pressure. Instruments such as this were also valuable diagnostic aids. They were the predecessor of the modern arm cuffs physicians now use to measure blood pressure.