Abstract :
This work discusses the evolution of the stethoscope which means "chest-seeing device". The first stethoscope was created by R.T.H. Laennec in 1816. Laennec\´s monoaural, paper-roll stethoscope was succeeded by his hollow, wooden, cylindrical, monaural instrument. From the monaural stethoscope emerged binaural stethoscopes, hydraulic stethoscopes which was designed for auscultatory percussion, and the present-day stethoscope with a stiff diaphragm. The present-day stethoscope accentuates high-pitched sounds which is characteristic of respiration and turbulent flow, whereas the older bell receiver accentuates the lower-frequency sounds. There also came about the combined bell and diaphragm stethoscope and the stereophonic stethoscope called the symballophone. In time, the stethoscope has become the badge of the physician.
Keywords :
bioacoustics; biomedical equipment; patient diagnosis; pneumodynamics; turbulence; auscultatory percussion; bell receiver; bell-diaphragm stethoscope; binaural stethoscopes; chest-seeing device; high-pitched sounds; hollow wooden cylindrical monaural stethoscope; hydraulic stethoscopes; monoaural paper-roll stethoscope; physician; respiration; stereophonic stethoscope; stiff diaphragm; symballophone; turbulent flow; Boring; Cardiac disease; Ear; Extremities; Heart; Instruments; Marine vehicles; Plugs; Solids; Stethoscope; Auscultation; England; History, 19th Century; History, 20th Century; Stethoscopes; United States;
