The Story Many medical discoveries of the late 19th century contributed to the creation of the artificial pacemaker. By 1900, cardiac specialists knew that the heart was a muscle which contracted steadily in order to pump blood throughout the body, and were also aware of the effects that electricity produced in muscle tissues, namely contraction.[1] … More Cardio Pacemaker (From the Collection #4)
The Story The creation of a functional heart and lung bypass machine in the early 1950s was a milestone in the history of heart surgery. Prior to WWI, the average survival rate for heart operations was less than forty percent. Twentieth-century technological innovations such as the invention of x-ray machines, the discovery of anti-coagulants, and … More Heart and Lung Machine (From the Collection #5)
The Story In 1816, a French physician named René Laennec invented a non-invasive tool for “looking into the chest.” His inspiration came during an awkward encounter with a young woman suffering from symptoms of heart disease. To preserve her modesty and spare himself the embarrassment of placing his ear directly on her chest to listen … More Monaural Stethoscope (From the Collection #6)
