Binaural Stethoscopes 20th century
Various 20th century binaural stethoscopes ion their original cardboard boxes.
In 1980, a newly licensed Psychiatric Technician often had to struggle with agitated patients while trying to get his stethoscope in place to take vital signs. He adapted the Littmann stethoscope and devised a binaural headset tension mechanism to affect a scissor type action such that the stethoscope could be grabbed with one hand and squeezed as shown on the cover of the stethoscope box, which enabled the two tubular parts of the earpiece to be opened and easily put on or taken off the ears. This then 22-year-old innovative young man, Janson M. Pope, Jr., sent me his stethoscope shown above (Stethoscope with One-Handed Headset Operation, USA Patent # 4406346, September 27, 1983).
A Fleischer Triple Head Stethoscope in original cardboard box and with cloth case and three switchable chest pieces as shown in the BD Brochure, c. 1950
Fleischer stethoscope with Fox localizing rod screwed into the diaphragm, c. 1950.
Douglass Stethoscope with brass chest piece made by Frederick Haslam & Co. Brooklyn, c. 1917.
Albumen photograph of the shop of the surgical instrument maker Frederick Haslam at 83 Pulaski Street, Brooklyn c. 1880.
American Heart Association single head stethoscope made in Japan by ADC for the AHA, c. 1996
Dr. Kildare's Heartbeat toy stethoscope c. 1963. Dr. Kildare was an NBC medical drama television series which originally ran from 1961 until 1966, for a total of 191 episodes over five seasons. Produced by MGM Television, it was based on fictional doctor characters originally created by author Max Brand in the 1930s and previously used by MGM in a popular film series and radio drama. The TV series quickly achieved success and made a star of Richard Chamberlain, who played the title role.