Portable monaural stethoscope, Europe, 1860-1890

Made:
1860-1890 in unknown place and Europe
Portable monaural stethoscope

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Portable monaural stethoscope
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Portable monaural stethoscope, c1860-1890

Monaural stethoscopes consist of a single hollow tube. They are different to today’s familiar Y-shaped binaural stethoscope. It was used on the chest or another part of the body to listen to organs such as the heart or lungs. The round base of this stethoscope amplified sound up the tube to the ear piece. This example is made from metal with ivory ear and chest pieces.

René Laennec (1781-1826) invented the stethoscope in 1816 as a diagnostic tool to listen to the heart and breathing in the human body.

Details

Category:
Clinical Diagnosis
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A608241
Materials:
stem, metal, nickel plated, ear plate, ivory and chest piece, ivory
Measurements:
overall: 170 mm 65 mm, .04kg
type:
stethoscope
credit:
Herzog, E.G.