Bloch type sphygmomanometer, Paris, France, 1881-1913
- maker:
- Charles Verdin
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LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Licence
Buy this image as a print
BuyLicense this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseBloch sphygmomanometer by Verdin
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Bloch sphygmomanometer by Verdin
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Bloch sphygmomanometer by Verdin, in silk (deteriorating) lined case, by C. Verdin, French
The first sphygmomanometer was devised by Samuel Von Basch (1837-1905) in 1881. It measured blood pressure by slowly applying a measured force to the skin over an artery until the pulse disappeared. However, the instrument was not widely used as doctors were wary of replacing traditional methods of using their fingers to determine pulse or that any information from the sphygmomanometer was useful. This variation was devised by A. M. Bloch. It uses a spring to record the weight necessary to obliterate the pulse. The device was made in Paris by scientific instrument maker Charles Verdin.
Details
- Category:
- Clinical Diagnosis
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A600404
- Materials:
- case, wood, case, leather, case, silk, cream, case, velvet, purple, case, brass, case, steel, instrument, brass, instrument, steel and instrument, steel (blue)
- Measurements:
-
overall: 30 mm x 163 mm x 40 mm, .11kg
- type:
- sphygmomanometer
- credit:
- Brunton, Sir Thomas Lauder
