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PubMed2001

[Adaptation of Einthoven's string galvanometer for electrocardiography in the Netherlands].

After the Dutch physiologist Willem Einthoven (1860-1927) published the construction of his string galvanometer in 1901, the development of electrocardiography in the Netherlands was slow. During the next twenty years only a few string galvanometers were in use in the Netherlands, mostly in physiology laboratories. Publications concerning electrocardiographic tests on patients were scarce. In 1924, Einthoven was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine for discovering the mechanism of the electrocardiogram. From that moment onwards, electrocardiography developed rapidly in the Netherlands and during the following 30 years particular use was made of the French string galvanometer designed by Boulitte.

Electrocardiography↗

PubMed1996

[The string of Einthoven's string galvanometer].

The Dutch physiologist Willem Einthoven (1860-1927) published in 1901 his construction of a string galvanometer. With this apparatus he opened the era for electrocardiography. As the quality of his instrument largely depended on the string of the string galvanometer it is surprising to note that in his publications Einthoven never mentioned the exact way of producing the string. However, Einthoven's hand written laboratory notes are preserved at the Museum Boerhaave in Leiden. From these notes it comes clear what problems Einthoven had with the string. To get a very thin thread of quarts he first used the method of shooting the thread as was described by Boys (1887), later the blowing method of Nichols (1894). The silvering of the thread was done first chemically, later by cathode spray. In all cases premature breaking of the thread was a nuisance. Because of these failures Einthoven might have decided not to publish any details.

Electrocardiography↗