Sherrington Starling kymograph, England, c. 1955

Made:
1950-1960 in London
maker:
C F Palmer (London) Limited, C F
Main unit with recording drum

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Main unit with recording drum
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Sherrington Starling kymograph, including main unit with recording drum and separate speed control unit, by C. F. Palmer ( London) Ltd., 63A Effra Road, London, SW2, England, c. 1955.

The kymograph is a classic laboratory research tool. It was invented by German physiologist Carl Ludwig (1816-1895) in 1847. One of its earliest uses was measuring blood pressure during physiological experiments. This Sherrington Starling recording drum was used with a kymograph and it visually recorded body activity such as heart beat and other muscle activity. As the blood pulsated, a pen attached to the kymograph recorded the movement on smoked paper wrapped around the metal drum. This let physiologists see a permanent record of blood pressure.

Pioneers in the field of neurophysiology, Sir Charles Scott Sherrington (1857-1952) and Ernest Henry Starling (1866-1927) developed the drum. It was manufactured by C. F. Palmer (London) Limited and advertised at the price of ten pounds and ten shillings in the company’s 1932 catalogue. Laboratories still use the Sherrington Starling recording drum today.

Details

Category:
Laboratory Medicine
Object Number:
1979-714
Materials:
base, iron
Measurements:
overall: 470 mm x 250 mm x 220 mm, 11.51kg
type:
recording drum
credit:
St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical School

Parts

Main unit with recording drum, for Sherrington Starling kymograph, England, c. 1955

Main unit with recording drum, for Sherrington Starling kymograph, England, c. 1955

Main unit with recording drum, for Sherrington Starling kymograph, by C. F. Palmer ( London) Ltd., 63A Effra Road, London, SW2, England, c. 1955.

Measurements:
overall: 470 mm x 250 mm x 220 mm, 11.51kg
Materials:
base, iron
Object Number:
1979-714/1
type:
recording drum
Speed control for kymograph, England, c. 1955

Speed control for kymograph, England, c. 1955

Speed control unit for Sherrington Starling kymograph, by C. F. Palmer ( London) Ltd., 63A Effra Road, London, SW2, England, c. 1955.

Measurements:
overall: 470 mm x 250 mm x 220 mm, 11.51kg
Materials:
base, iron
Object Number:
1979-714/2
type:
recording drum
Kymograph paper

Kymograph paper

Sheet of paper from an opened roll of kymograph paper from Sherrington Starling kymograph, by C. F. Palmer ( London) Ltd., 63A Effra Road, London, SW2, England, c. 1955.

Object Number:
1979-714/3
type:
kymograph paper