University Health Network - Academy of Medicine Collection
Category
Diagnostic & Treatment Artifacts
Military Medicine
Classification
Cardiology
Military Medicine
Accession Number
1982.5.11
Description
A sphygmograph in a leather box lined with velvet and silk; arrow on box lid indicates British military supplies; the numbers 1929 could be the supply order number and not the date.
A sphygmograph in a leather box lined with velvet and silk; arrow on box lid indicates British military supplies; the numbers 1929 could be the supply order number and not the date.
Number Of Parts
2
Part Names
box - Size: Length 8.0 cm x Width 7.0 cm x Depth 5.0 cm
Provenance
Acquired from the Academy of Medicine; source: Dr. J. W. Scott.
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.