Wednesday, June 28, 2017

1950s: The first peak flow meter

Wrights original peak flow meters (circa 1950s)
If you're an asthmatic you may not be familiar with Dr. Martin Wright, but you probably are familiar with an instrument he invented:  the peak flow meter.  It was a convenient, inexpensive, hand held tool that could be used by patients at home or in the hospital setting to assess the effects of bronchitis and asthma.  

It was first introduced in the 1950s by London physician, Dr. Martin Wright, of the Clinical Research Center at Northwick Park Hospital.  It was an instrument specifically designed to measure 'peak flow,' or the amount of air that can be forced out of a patient's lungs after a maximum inhalation.  

The original Wright Peak Flow Meter was a large, heavy, clock shaped device that was too expensive for the common person to have at home. It was generally used in hospitals to assess patients. It worked by the patient blowing air into the meter, and this air rotated a pointer on a dial against the resistance of a spring. The device gave the first accurate readings of a peak flow.

Mini Wrights Peak Flow Meters (circa 1970s)
In the 1970s, Dr. Wright invented a new device that was inexpensive and portable.  It's basically just a "tube with a spring inside and a calibrated scale along the outside.  The puff from the patient under test pushes the spring back.  A pointer registers the furthest point reached.  The meter comes complete with a set of cardboard mouthpieces.  Doctors recon that the instrument could be useful in home treatment. Patient's could monitor their own lung power in a simple and cheap way of determining recovery from lung ailments." (1, page 675)

This instrument was called a "Mini Wright," although ultimately it became known as the peak flow meter. The devices were ultimately manufactured by various companies, and now you can get an array of different types. The first ones were not disposable, although they were soon thereafter manufactured for single patient use only, and the separate cardboard mouthpieces are no longer needed  

Many peak flow meters available today
I remember the "Mini Wright" from when I was an asthma patient back in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s. Gone are the days of the Mini Wright, replaced by the even cheaper plastic models.

Can you guess how many peak flow meter brands are on the market today?  I couldn't even fathom a guess, although I've had over 20 in my grasp at one point or another.

Reference:
  1. "Hot Air Invention," New Scientist, March 1, 1979, page 675
Further reading and another picture:

6 comments:

  1. Greatest thanks to Dr Oyagu for his herbal drugs that he prepared for me and when i start using it in just 2weeks i was completely cured and that ended my HERPES SIMPLEX 1&2 DISEASE i am so happy and grateful to Dr Oyagu . after reading about him on a testimony of Jason Cash on a blogger. i knew suddenly Dr Oyagu was the right Doctor to cure my HERPES SIMPLEX 1&2 DISEASE. i discuss with Dr Oyagu and he prepared a herbal medicine for me and when it got sent to me in south korean . i used the herbal medicine and 2weeks and i went to check up again. after 15years of suffering from HERPES SIMPLEX 1&2 at last i am smiling once again. Dr Oyagu also has remedy to others disease like COLD SORES,HIV/AIDS,DIABETES.CANCER,HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND MANY MORE. I oblige everyone to contact this powerful herbalist Dr Oyagu and be free from your suffering. contact his WhatsApp line: +2348101755322 or his Email:Oyaguherbalhome@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete

  2. Hello Am From The UK , I want to write a little testimony about the good work of doctor Oyagu who cured me from Hsv 1 and 2 for just 2 weeks with his herbal medicine, I never believe I can be normal again and have a good life like others I always regretted the day I got diagnose with the virus, I was lost of hope when my doctor told me there is no cure for it but I keep thinking and thinking about my future, if I can have kids of my own well I am so grateful for my helper who get me cured with his herbal medicine, I go online in search of anything that can help me because I can’t deal with it forever so I found this doc Oyagu email on a blog of someone who was cured by him I quickly contact him for help and explain all my pain to him, he told me not to worry about it there is cure for real, I never believe until he send me the herbal medicine when I order for it and I have it within 4 days that is how I took the medicine for 2 week and the following week I go for test just to confirm I was 100% cured from this sickness what a miracle in my life I am so happy right now, you can also get in contact with him if you have such sickness through email address oyaguherbalhome@gmail. com or text him on what's app, phone number +2348101755322 Dr Oyagu also has remedy to others disease like COLD SORES,HIV/AIDS,DIABETES.CANCER,HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND MANY MORE. I oblige everyone to contact this powerful herbalist Dr Oyagu and be free from suffering.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am here to spread this good news to the entire world on how Dr Emu helped me solve my infertility problem and i am so happy now that i am now a mother because for over 4 years i have been trying to get pregnant and needed help, i and my husband always go for medical check up and the doctor always say that the both of us are fine and i have nowhere else to get help from and all hope was almost lost until one day i visited a friend of mine and i told her what i was passing through and she introduce me to this great spell caster called Dr Emu who helped her when she was in need of help, so i took a try to contact Dr Emu through his email and i explain all my problem to him and after we have talked he perform an infertility spell for me and after that he told me what i should do, and i followed the instruction he gave and after that he instructed to sleep with my husband and also i followed the instruction and he said that the next week i should go for medical check up and the doctor confirmed that i was 4 months pregnant and i was so happy that all my sorrows were gone for ever, i am so very happy now and also you need any kind of help or the same line with mine, contact Dr Emu on his email: emutemple@gmail.com or Call/Text his whatsapp phone number +2347012841542

    ReplyDelete

  4. My name is God'swill luckcent by name, I am from United Kingdom, i was diagnosed with Herpes for 2months, i lived in pain with the knowledge that i wasn't going to ever be well again. So I contacted Dr ONOBUN GABRIEL (WATER), so before than
    doctors on this issue have wasted a large sum of money, but my condition never got better, i was determined to get my life back, so one day i saw a post from (John Lucy) from United States on how Dr ONOBUN GABRIEL (WATER) saved her from the VIRUS with his herbal medicine cure, i contacted Dr ONOBUN GABRIEL (WATER) on his email onobunwinhome@gmail.com we spoke on the issue, i told him all that, through that I need cure on my herpes diesass and DR ONOBUN GABRIEL (WATER) told me that we need to buy some items for the cure, that I will have to send him the money through Western Union to buy the items by him self so that the spell will work for me for the cure and i DID send it fast and quick in, through Western Union at the Bank. so, that same day, once him have receive the money I sent to him, on Western Union Dr ONOBUN GABRIEL (WATER) called me on Phone and told me that him have receiver the money that he is about to buy all the items him need for the casting of the spell and for the casting of the spell the spell will work for cure for me, and Dr also told me that, not to worry that everything will be fine soon and again once him have cast the cure spell on me, so he prepared the casting of the spell medicine on me and send it to me through Bible service air fine and told me how to use it that day, after that day of usage it, i get cured. I went to see the doctor for test ,then the result was cured ,i am the happiest man on his MUM earth ESTHER ONOBUN UWANPARA. this testimony is real.thanks to Dr ONOBUN GABRIEL (WATER) for helping me cure me. God bless DR ONOBUN GABRIEL (WATER) All your day will been well. you can also contact him on his email onobunwinhome@gmail.com or his Mobile phone number +2349132393661
    Dr ONOBUN GABRIEL( WATER )
    Also cure and brings EX back as followings,
    1 HIV/ADIS herbal cure.
    2 Cancer herbal cure.
    3 Joint break cure.
    4 herpes herbal medicine cure.
    5 jelee rice cure.
    6 HPV herbal medicine cure.
    7 Diabetes cure.
    8 get your ex back.
    9 Pregnancy Spell.
    10 HTP cure.
    11 Hepatitis airzzies cure.
    12 Covid 19 coronia vires cure.
    13) Asthma Cure.
    (14) I want to Get my Ex Back.
    (15) Tinnitus herbal cure.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm so excited right now, I just have to share my testimony on this Forum.. The feeling of being loved takes away so much burden from our shoulders. I had all this but I made a big mistake when I cheated on my wife with another woman  and my wife left me for over 4 months after she found out..  I was lonely, sad and devastated. Luckily I was directed to a very powerful spell caster Dr Emu who helped me cast a spell of reconciliation on our Relationship and he brought back my wife and now she loves me far more than ever.. I'm so happy with life now. Thank you so much Dr Emu, kindly Contact  Dr Emu Today and get any kind of help you want.. Website (https://emutemple.wordpress.com/) Via Email emutemple@gmail.com or Call/WhatsApp cell number  +2347012841542 

    ReplyDelete
  6. My name his Steve Maries and I am from United State.I am so happy today, and i also appreciate the genuine work done by one love spell caster DR ONOBUN GABRIEL(WATER). And to give me the right direction to get back my Ex, so today I got my wish fulfilled under the guidance of my love Spell caster Dr ONOBUN GABRIEL (WATER). ❤️ love is an important part of relationship. I can understand this, when my boyfriend had cheated on me and dump me, by engaging another girl’s with affairs at that time, I was Broken and realized the importance of love when my boyfriend, dump me in my life in relationship with him of love. My boyfriend did not give me the importance's of true love, and he always embarrassed me in front of his friends and family's, and I love my boyfriend so much. Then I search on the Internet to fine a spell caster that can
    bring back Ex, fine on me “one day" I find a real spell caster Called DR ONOBUN GABRIEL (WATER) So I got the contact number +2349132393661 and his Email onobunwinhome@gmail.com of this spell caster DR ONOBUN GABRIEL (WATER)” then I drop a message on his email that I want my Ex boyfriend back, because I so much love my boyfriend and also on his WhatsApp Number too, and I explain all my problems that is happening with me. So then Dr ONOBUN GABRIEL (WATER) show me his previous work done by himself and how he had help so many people to get there Ex back and also help so many pretty once to get cured in there diesass and sinkness and to guide me on how the work will be done. Then i start work to get my boyfriend back in a positive way that Dr ONOBUN GABRIEL (WATER) have interested me to do to get my boyfriend back, to start giving me respect and also never to leave me again for another girl. Then and now, I am 😀 so happy and thankful to Dr ONOBUN GABRIEL (WATER). So Dr ONOBUN GABRIEL (WATER)
    prepared a magic spell and cast a spell on my boyfriend to get him back to me, immediately, it work, my boyfriend
    was back within 24hrs time and now my Ex boyfriend his back to me now begging me in positive and nagative side effects, and to have him back again,
    and my boyfriend promise now that he will never, to leave me again for another girl. Me and my boyfriend is 🍷 wine forever more. I am so happy now that my Ex boyfriend is back by DR ONOBUN GABRIEL (WATER) spell. Dr said I should share is testimony on interview and internet once my boyfriend is back to me, and that is why I am sharing his good testimony in the internet and interview to have others to come for help in contact. So if you have a broke up with your Ex, contact Dr ONOBUN GABRIEL (WATER) on his email onobunwinhome@gmail.com and explain, Or call his phone Number or Whatsapp +2349132393661 for help.



    ReplyDelete