McGrigor Stethoscope

Sir James McGrigor was the father of the Royal Army Medical Corps. Dr. McGrigor introduced the stethoscope into milirtary practice in Britain in 1821. The stethoscope is shown above both together and taken apart, with the chest plug made entirely of wood and the ear plate made of horn. It is an interesting variation of the Laennec and Piorry designs, in that it has the Laennec plug that inserts into the funnel shaped bell on the chest end (to asculatate heart sounds) and the thinner stem and ear plate like the Piorry stethoscope. Note that on the stem in an uneven, engraved mark that reads "McGrigor Maker." There is no record of an instrument maker named McGrigor. The uneven, engraved mark suggest that Dr. McGrigor designed and had this stethoscope made for himself (or even made the stethoscope himself). The oil portrait of McGrigor is by the early 19th century English portraitist John Jackson presented to his family by the medical officers of the Army.