Photo and description are kindly provided by Dr. David Chinn, for an upcoming ARTP article.
“Sherrington Stirling Kymograph Recording Drum (C F Palmer (London) Ltd), c. 1955
A strip of paper the width of the drum is held above a smoking gas flame, the smoke from which settles on the paper to leave a surface of carbon soot. The smoked strip is wrapped around the drum and secured in place. The drum is set to run at a suitable speed (speeds available of 1, 10, 25, or 640 mm.s-1) and a stylus from a water spirometer (or other physiological recording device) is held against the strip. The recording is ‘scored’ into the carbon surface. Afterwards a calibration mark is applied and the strip is removed and passed through a ‘fixing fluid’ to create a permanent record that, after drying can be measured. It was a convenient way to record physiological signals but could be a very mucky job!”
Undated photo found on Flickr. Uploaded by the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. At a guess it comes from the mid-1950’s. Spirometer, location and the people in the photo were unidentified.
Photo of Dubois’ original plethysmograph. From a powerpoint presentation from Hans-Juergen Smith, Product Manager Pneumonology, Respiratory Diagnostics Turkish Thoracic Society 2014
Found on the South Australia Medical Heritage website. Attributed to an article in the Journal of Clinical Investigations, vol 49, Issue 6 (June 1, 1970), pg 1238. Described as:
“The picture above shows a schematic design of one of DuBois’ early plethysmograph designs from the early 1950’s. The person sat inside a large box filled with warm water, which would allow for easy monitoring of volume changes. It is reported that as the person entered or left the box, it flooded the Dean’s office below. For some strange reason, this design did not last long.
Spirometer used by music teacher Arnold Jacobs to test his students. From “Arnold Jacobs – Breathe like a baby, play like an angel”. ITG Journal, May, 1999, page 18.
“Black enameled metal cart with single drawer which holds small accessories. Metabolor is tan enameled metal with chrome accents. Display dial on back. The left side has an oxygen fill line and knob; the front has a canister, stainless steel hose bracketed to torn black rubber hoses; gauges; and recording area with paper.”
“Medical Device Metabulator, 1954 Manufactured by: Sanborn Company, USA, device used to measure how much oxygen a patient consumed while breathing, mahogany case on rolls, height 32 1/3 in., with accessories. “
“A Sanborn Metabulator, model 10, serial number 1845, volts 115, cycles 60, amps 0.5 with an inbuilt recording compartment with paper roll to print paper chart, a barometer and thermometer dial, a carbon dioxide absorption chamber filled with soda lime granules and an oxygen gas cylinder B.P. Oxygen. The metabulator is on casters making it easily portable, with a protective hood cover. A right-hand side door opens to reveal the oxygen tank and a storage area which contains a scoop tool, a jar holder and a lever tool. An engraved metal plaque attached to the metabulator reads MADE FOR S. KATHLEEN GRAHAM M.D. BY SANBORN COMPANY CAMBRIDGE. MASS. U.S.A.”
“Mahogany Cased Metabulator by Sanborn Company, Cambridge, Massachusetts, circa 1950, recording compartment with paper roll, barometer and thermometer dial, carbon dioxide absorption chamber and oxygen tank, metal plaque stating Made for George Danis, MD by Sanborn Company, Cambridge, Mass., USA, all in a mahogany cabinet with draw on wheels and instruction manual, ht. 41 in. “
From ‘Analysis of the ventilatory defect by timed vital capacity measurements.’ By Edward Gaensler, American Review of Tuberculosis, 1951; 64(3): page 260.
“Fig. 1. Vital capacity spirometer with timed capacity attachment and electronic timer. The insert shows the timing device with the cover removed. On the left is the micro-switch which initiates the timed interval when the spirometer bell begins to rise. On the right is the midget solenoid which moves the added second pointer only while it is activated by the timer. “
The diverse, quirky and mostly forgotten history of Pulmonary Function testing
