Ear to the Chest: Evolution of the Stethoscope

The stethoscope has come to represent the physician perhaps more than any other symbol save the shaft of Aesculapius. It has had a profound influence on the practice of medicine. Called a "fascinating book" by the New York Times, An Ear to the Chest: An Illustrated History of the Evolution of the Stethoscope explores the debate over the value of the stethoscope, its design, and its acceptance by the public and the professionals who used it. The book contains fascinating details about the stethoscope from its beginnings as a simple wooden tube to the complex binaural devices used today. The variety of stethoscopes that have been designed number in the hundreds or more. Providing information about the instrument and insights into its inventors, the author has included truly evolutionary examples of the stethoscope and those that illustrate the wide variety of approaches taken in its development. Written by Dr. M. Donald Blaufox, noted medical historian and co-author with N.H. Naqvi of Blood Pressure Measurement: An Illustrated History, this book presents a visual history of the evolution of the instrument that is now universally recognized as a symbol for medicine and healing. It provides diagrams, early photographs and drawings, as well as excerpts from contemporary writings and patents. Informative and entertaining An Ear to the Chest: An Illustrated History of the Evolution of the Stethoscope explores the practices used prior to the development of the stethoscope, the early days of its use, and current practice.