Hill and Barnard-type sphygmomanometer, London, England, 1891-1900

Hill and Barnard sphygmomanometer with case, by J.Hicks, English, c.1897, lead for Hill and Barnard

A sphygmomanometer is used to measure blood pressure. A rubber cuff was inflated above the elbow to block the pulse in the lower arm. When the pulse disappeared, the sphygmomanometer needle stopped vibrating to give a reading. This type of sphygmomanometer was invented in the 1890s by Sir Leonard Hill (1866-1952), a British physiologist, and Harold Barnard (1868-1908), a British surgeon. Measuring blood pressure as part of a health check did not become common practice until the 1920s. The device was made by James Joseph Hickman (1837-1916), a scientific instrument maker. It is shown here in a display depicting a consultation with a doctor in 1900.