Object Details
- Description
- Claude Schaeffer Beck (1894-1971) was a pioneering cardiac surgeon who received a medical degree from Johns Hopkins University, spent most of his career at Case Western Reserve University, and became the first to successfully revive a patient by directly shocking the heart with a defibrillator. This defibrillator is one of three prototypes known to exist. An inscription reads “OHMITE / TRADE MARK / REG. U.S. PAT. OFF. / VITREOUS / ENAMELED / RHEOSTAT-POTENTIOMETER / PAT. NOS. RE-19607 – 2040278 / OTHER PATENTS PENDING / OHMITE MFG. CO. / CHICAGO, ILL. / MADE IN / UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.” The patent was issued to David T. Siegel (d. 1957), founder of the Ohmite Mfg. Co.
- Ref: J. A. Meyer, “Claude Beck and cardiac resuscitation,” Annals of Thoracic Surgery 45 (1988): 103-105.
- “Dr. Claude Beck, Heart Specialist,” New York Times (Oct. 15, 1971), p. 44.
- David T. Siegel, “Rheostat,” U.S. Patent 2,040,278 (May 12, 1936).
- “DAVID T. SIEGEL WILL DISPOSES OF 4 MILLIONS,” Chicago Tribune (Aug. 21, 1957), p. 22.
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
- maker
- Ohmite Manufacturing Co.
- date made
- 1947
- Credit Line
- Gift of Claude S. Beck
- Physical Description
- glass, ?, transparent (overall material)
- metal (overall material)
- plastic (overall material)
- rubber (overall material)
- wood (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall, as stored: 13 in x 17 1/4 in x 12 1/2 in; 33.02 cm x 43.815 cm x 31.75 cm
- overall: 30.5 cm x 29.4 cm x 30 cm; 12 in x 11 9/16 in x 11 13/16 in
- paddles: 299 cm x 7.8 cm; x 117 23/32 in x 3 1/16 in
- Object Name
- Rheostat-Potentiometer
- defibrillator
