Stethoscopes For Sale

The stethoscope is a medical device used for listening to internal sounds in humans or animals. Although it is commonly thought to be used only for heart sounds and breathing, it can be used to listen to intestines, kidneys, and blood flow in arteries and veins. The stethoscope is a symbol of the physician's profession; doctors are often depicted with it hanging around their neck.

The first stethoscope was invented in 1816 in France. It was a device similar to an ear trumpet, which amplified sound to one ear. By the mid 1880's, the design was perfected to use with both ears. It takes much training to diagnose from basic clinical examination with a stethoscope.

From its early beginnings, the stethoscope has continued to improve in its design. Acoustic stethoscopes are the most commonly used. These operate with the transmission of sound from the chest piece to the doctor's ears via hollow tubes.

One problem originally with acoustic stethoscope was the extremely low sound level. This problem was overcome in 1999 with the invention of newer mechanisms for cardiology amplification. Nowadays electronic stethoscopes amplify and process the signals for optimal listening. Some stethoscopes are designed specifically for infants, and others can be used with external recording devices.