All the way from the 1950's physiology department...
The Algometer
How was it used?
The thin end of the Algometer would be pressed against certain muscles or bones, and you would record how much pressure it took before it started to hurt.
How did it get here?
At some point after the Algometer was retired from work, and maybe replaced with a newer model, it was handed over to the collection. But we do not know when, or by whom, and we can only speculate as to how long the Algometer was rolling around in a dusty drawer before it came into the care of the collection.
Significance
Algometers are not particularly rare, and they are still used today, yet many museums have them on display! What makes them so special? This one was produced at a time when Algometry had just been invented, and so some might say that it represents the medical innovation of the time.
What's the story?
Algometers are used by doctors, chiropractors and scientists, but his particular one was owned by the physiology department at UCL, and used to research pain in the mid 1900's. Sounds scary, but Algometry has been used for good! They can test the effects of pain medication and diagnose injuries or diseases. But it has also been controversial: it was used in attempts to find a 'normal' pain threshold for certain genders or races, even though the feeling of pain varies completely from person to person.
Courtesy of UCL Physiology Collection
Collection: Physiology Collection.
Modern name: Algometer .
Original name: Algometer, but variants can also be called Dolorimetesr, Palpameters or Algesimeters.
Object Number: Physio 015
inferred date: 1956-1978
Did you know?
How and when we feel pain is so individual that it can depend on anything, even sleep patterns or humour!
Where did it come from?
The algometer was produced by Hawksley and sons, which was an esteemed medical supplier in London. The company still exists today, but has been sold many times, and do no longer make algometers.
Modern Algometer in Use:
To think about...
- The exact time of use and aquisition is unknown for the Algometer, so how can it be displayed in a museum? Would it be okay to make a story up?
- What is the point of keeping tools which are not used anymore? Is the Algometer worth keeping in the collection?
- Research involving pain raises many ethical questions. Can you think of someone it would not be ethical to use the Algometer on?
Acknowledgements
With special thanks to UCL Physiology Collectoin and curator Nicholas Booth, for allowing access and photography of the object.