Stethonoscope in Box
Production date
1930s
Country
England
See full details
Object detail
Description
The stethonoscope consists of two parts, the chest piece and a stem. The stem is hollow and cylindrical in shape, with a forked end for the attachment of rubber tubes for listening. Between the forked cylinders is a bolt and screw. The chest piece is circular and a raised top that is curved in the centre. The underside has a rim and centre with a bolt encased in nickel plated brass. Bottom half in two pieces which resonate sound; made to fit onto conventional stethoscope tubing and ear piece. Box is black leather.
Classification
MEDICINE Medicine stethoscope
Maker
Production date
1930s
Production place
Measurements
L80 x W110 x H18 mm
Media/Materials description
Nickel (Metal Plating) Brass, Indeterminate (Woods), Indeterminate Textile (Textiles)
Signature/Marks
<on box lid > '...MAWSON & ....\STETHONOSCOPEa'
<on underside of chest piece > 'TESKES\PATENT\390'
< on top of chest piece > 'MAW·LONDON\STETHONESCOPE'
<on underside of chest piece > 'TESKES\PATENT\390'
< on top of chest piece > 'MAW·LONDON\STETHONESCOPE'
History and use
This Teske patented ‘stethonoscope’ is an example of one of the greatest innovations of modern medicine – the stethoscope. This example likely dates to around the 1930s.
The stethoscope was one of the greatest innovations in medicine for listening to the internal sounds of the body. Invented by Rene Laennec in Paris in 1816 it introduced the first major diagnostic tool that clinical medicine had ever had. Initially used for determining chest diseases, it was soon applied to obstetrics and orthopaedics. The first design was monaural – only one ear was used to listen. The binaural form (using two ears) was first attempted in 1829, but the various designs made it difficult or cumbersome to use. The man credited with the binaural form of the stethoscope in its more modern form is Dr George Camman, who developed his model in 1851 with woven tubing, a wooden chest-piece, ivory ear-pieces with a broad rubber band to hold the ear-pieces in place. The monaural form was however used as late as 1910.
The use of a simple diaphragm or membrane on the chest-piece (as is found today) was not developed until 1900. Teske’s ‘stethonoscope’ was one of these designs and enabled sounds to be conducted more loudly. It is unclear when the ‘stethonoscope’ was first patented but this example likely dates to around the 1930s.
This object is part of the Marks collection, donated to the Queensland Museum by Dr E.N. Marks. The Marks were a prominent Brisbane family who made significant contributions to the fields of science and medicine.
Uploaded to the Web 27 May 2011.
The stethoscope was one of the greatest innovations in medicine for listening to the internal sounds of the body. Invented by Rene Laennec in Paris in 1816 it introduced the first major diagnostic tool that clinical medicine had ever had. Initially used for determining chest diseases, it was soon applied to obstetrics and orthopaedics. The first design was monaural – only one ear was used to listen. The binaural form (using two ears) was first attempted in 1829, but the various designs made it difficult or cumbersome to use. The man credited with the binaural form of the stethoscope in its more modern form is Dr George Camman, who developed his model in 1851 with woven tubing, a wooden chest-piece, ivory ear-pieces with a broad rubber band to hold the ear-pieces in place. The monaural form was however used as late as 1910.
The use of a simple diaphragm or membrane on the chest-piece (as is found today) was not developed until 1900. Teske’s ‘stethonoscope’ was one of these designs and enabled sounds to be conducted more loudly. It is unclear when the ‘stethonoscope’ was first patented but this example likely dates to around the 1930s.
This object is part of the Marks collection, donated to the Queensland Museum by Dr E.N. Marks. The Marks were a prominent Brisbane family who made significant contributions to the fields of science and medicine.
Uploaded to the Web 27 May 2011.
Associated person
Registration number
H24881