Search

A history of Stethoscope from Laennec to Camman through Piorry, Nauche, Louis, Landouzy (father), Commins, Williams, Stokes, Billing and Depaul.

The matrix speculum probably appeared in the first century as a bronze instrument: it was dug out of the ruins of Pompeï and was still used at the beginning of the twentieth century. In 1804-1806. Récamier used a slender tin tube to treat the ulcers of uterus and his tube quickly became conical and then appeared a double tin "leaflet" speculum. Four main reasons explain the great success : the smooth wall of the tube, the choice of tin to have a good lighting during the clinical examination, the conical design for anatomical reasons and the veneral diseases in Récamier's period.

Start as simple litter for several patients in the Middle-Age, the hospital's bed had progressively change to the first mechanical beds in the XIX century.

According to our common medical culture, some facts are simply unquestionable, for instance Laënnec invented the stethoscope. But was he the first one? On a recent trip to Egypt we visited the temple of Kom Ombo, built prior to the roman period and renowned as a medical care center. Today, the tourist is fascinated by the magnificent hieroglyphics on the well-preserved walls testifying to significant advances in various fields of medicine including ophthalmology and gynecology. We were particularly interested by the basreliefs presenting vivid drawings of some of the first medical instruments. We easily identified curettes, scissors, a balance, forceps for dental extraction, and a surgical saw, but were captivated by two other instruments. The first one looked a lot like what Laënnec invented around 1820. The second one was amazingly similar to the instrument we use everyday, with a distal opening and flexible tubes (woven papyrus?) leading to proximal ear pieces. Our Egyptian guide was formal: the stethoscope was invented in Egypt. The scientific impact of our observations leaves something to be desired, but did make us think about the huge gap between the advancement of medical knowledge in ancient Egypt and Laënnec's (re)-invention. Exposed to a similar gap in history, what would our documents stored on CD and video tapes have to say to future touring doctors?

The authors relate chiefly medical-officer Eugene de Sere's military career, particuliarly some parts of his work: the invention of a galvano-cautery, an electric cutter including a scale which allows to change current strength whether it is needing to cut flesh or to coagulate blood. That instrument is the forerunner of every modern one.

Description and reproduction of an extremely rare faience Creil-et-Montereau invalid feeding cup, made between 1849 and 1867, with a yellow ground and decorated with subjects symbolic of freemasonry.