The History and Significance Behind the Stethoscope- By Riya Patel
The invention of this specific piece of equipment had changed history ever since it was first discovered. This medical equipment that all healthcare professionals use to this day leads all the way back to 1816. A French physician named Rene Theophile Hyacinthe Laennnec invented the stethoscope, in Paris, France. A stethoscope is a device that is used for listening to the internal sound of organs such as the lungs, heart, stomach, intestines and even the uterus. The story behind the invention of this equipment was because Laennec felt uncomfortable placing his ear directly onto a female's chest to listen to their heart. He thought that there must be another way to listen to the sounds that are produced within our body.
The initial purpose of the equipment remained the same. However, the one thing that did change was the outside design. As technology advanced and the world grew so did the piece of equipment. The original design back then was drastically different from the present day stethoscope. In the early 1800s it was crafted from wood with a vacant center to hear the patient's heartbeat, with a brass cylinder that could be detached from the object to then listen to the patient's lungs. Throughout the years this invention has evolved. The new version was designed by Adolphe Piorry; it made the stethoscope flexible and easier to use. The upgraded newer version was a long tube that had an earpiece attached to and end with a listening device at the other side.
The stethoscope has affected us individuals for the better. Due to this invention, heartbeats can easily be heard. This has changed the overall way doctors and nurses would treat as well as diagnose the patients. It is being evolved over time with the technology its surrounded by. Factors such as reducing its weight, improving its acoustic quality and eventually filtering out external noise are currently being worked on. Modifications on the present day stethoscope could be made regarding some of its parts. Further development to this invention could potentially occur in the future. There is no scientific theory about the contribution of a stethoscope, for the most part it's pretty straightforward and does not harm or affect a patient in any negative way.
In conclusion, this life changing invention is used in various ways by the medical field. Medical professionals have had the chance to detect a numerous amount of abnormalities in our bodies. The device itself has been redesigned a great amount of times but its meaning and purpose has always remained the same. It has a prominent place in today’s society. It has a major contribution in our present day world and has helped more people in our community than we know.