by
Sean Ruck, Contributing Editor | April 13, 2015
From the April 2015 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
Each month, we visit Dr. Blaufox’s Museum of Historical Medical Artifacts to take a look back at the medical equipment that cleared the way for what patients encounter in doctors’ offices and operating rooms of today.
Some equipment may be recognizable, while other featured inventions have since become obsolete or have had their usefulness discredited.
The picture and description appear courtesy of Dr. M. Donald Blaufox, M.D., Ph.D, from his website: www.mohma.org.
Category: Pulse
Estimated Date: 1905
Name: Mackenzie polygraph
Manufacturer: Mr. S. Shaw
Description: This is an early device to record physiologic functions. It consists of a 10“x 6“x 3.5” leather covered case with blue velvet lining and contains a complete polygraph including, motor-timer, two venous pulse, one arterial pulse, two pen mounts, extra paper with tracings, ink, extra pen mount. The motor measures 3.5“x 3“x 2 “and the pen mount on an arm 4.5” with 4.5” pens. Pens are activated pneumatically on rubber diaphragms. Tubing to connect pens to detectors is missing. Overall, it’s a nice example of analog recording long before digital technology.
