Accession No
6805
Brief Description
TR5 Transrite electrocardiograph and accessories in a carry case, by Cambridge Medical Instruments Ltd., English, late 20th Century
Origin
England; Hertfordshire; Royston; Melbourn; SG8 6EJ
Maker
Cambridge Medical Instruments Ltd.
Class
electrical; medical
Earliest Date
1976
Latest Date
1985
Inscription Date
Material
metal; leather; paper; plastic
Dimensions
355 mm (width) 110 mm (height) 300 mm (depth) (not including the carry case) 525mm (width) 130mm (height) 300mm (depth) (the carry case)
Special Collection
Provenance
Donated by Police Scotland on the 23/11/2023. Used for occupational health checks on police officers in Strathclyde Police (at what is now Springburn Police Station).
Inscription
Description Notes
TR5 Transrite electrocardiograph and accessories in a carry case,, by cambridge medical instruments limited, English, 20th Century
A black leather case containing a silver and black metal cardiograph. Written on the top right of the cardiograph is "Cambridge Cardiograph TR5". Its a rectangle with three big silver knobs on the face, and five smaller black knobs. There is a clear plastic screen that hinges open to reveal a paper chart. There are three sockets of different types on the sides of the cardiograph.
The leather carry case is black and has a pocket on the inside of the lid. There is a hand written note taped on the inside that reads "Cream & paper in 4th drawer down (extra in storage cupboard)"
In the carry case there is a smaller leather zip up case containing 1 black cable with a standard UK three pin plug at one end and another black cable that splits into 5 colourful small cables
A small black pocket with two allen keys
A plastic zip lock bag with two fuses
Came with
an instruction manual from 1976
operating instructions card
A crumpled cardiograph
cardiogram mount
Two pieces of paper clipped to to the instruction manual reading " H.A West Edinburgh 41 Watson Crest Edinburgh 031 337 733718" and on the other "Taken over by Pickard International John Scott 01 904 1288 Ex & 3457 [erased] 10 Days"
References
Events
Description
An electrocardiograph is a medical instrument that records the electrical activity of the heart. Physiologists discovered the electrical wave that accompanies the human heart beat at the end of the 19th Century and Dr Willem Einthoven designed an electrocardiograph using a string galvanometer to practically and precisely record it in 1903. It would eventually revolutionise the study of the heart and massively improve the treatment of heart disease. However, the original design was large and awkward - filling a room, weighing over 650lbs, and requiring patients to immerse their limbs in saltwater baths to transmit the heart's electrical current.
Dr Einthoven approached Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company to manufacture a marketable electrocardiograph and the Company proceeded with the redesign of the instrument. It completed its first full electrocardiograph in 1908. The Company continued to improve the electrocardiograph and make it smaller, but its design remained fundamentally unchanged for decades.
In the 1950s, Cambridge Instrument Company released its first direct-writing electrocardiograph, with a heated stylus replacing the camera, making results instantly available. The Transrite model that followed used the same heated stylus, but replaced the valve with a transistor-based amplifier. The use of transistors helped make it smaller and lighter—it was sold in a carry case and could run on batteries.
Cambridge Medical Instruments was one of the offshoot companies that continued trading with the Cambridge name after Cambridge Instrument Company was sold in 1968. This TR5 (Transrite 5) model was used for occupational health checks on police officers by the occupational health department of Strathclyde Police (at what is now Springburn Police Station).
29/02/2024
Created by: Morgan Bell on 29/02/2024
FM:47645
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