stethoscope

"The stethoscope is an acoustic medical device for auscultation, i.e. listening to internal sounds in the human body. It is most often used to listen to heart sounds and breathing, though it is also used to listen to intestines and blood flow in arteries and veins. Constantly checking body vital signs with a stethoscope is the life of many nurses and doctors in the health field. An introduction to stethoscopes would start with the first one invented which was nothing more than a hollow wooden tube to listen to the heartbeats of female patients. A small monitor for blood pressure can be electronic or battery operated and measure both systolic and diastolic as well as your pulse readings, eliminating the use of a stethoscope. Doctors can diagnose congenital heart defects, test how well your heart is pumping, and check for other heart ailments just by using a stethoscope. "