Seymour London
Encyclopedia
Seymour B. London was an American physician
and inventor who created the first automatic blood pressure monitor
.
London was born on July 1, 1915, in Detroit and moved to Miami Beach, Florida
as a youth together with his family, where he graduated from Miami Beach Senior High School in 1932. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Florida
, was awarded a master's degree from the University of Michigan
and received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School
in 1940. He did an internship in cardiopulmonary medicine at Bellevue Hospital Center
, where he met and married Rose Perrone,a fellow medical student. He returned to Miami Beach after completing his medical training and operated a medical practice for 50 years together with his wife, who died in 2008. They helped found the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and the Miami Heart Institute at Mount Sinai Medical Center
.
London developed the automated blood pressure machine after having to spend time on multiple occasions fumbling to take a patient's blood pressure by hand. He created the original prototype of his patented device using an old blood pressure cuff, a column of mercury, a pump from a fish tank and a microphone. To demonstrate the accuracy of their device, London and his wife conducted a double blind study of 400 physicians at the 1965 annual convention of the American Medical Association
. The study findings, which demonstrated that there was no statistically significant difference between the results taken automatically and those done by hand, were published in a November 1966 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association
. In addition to a United States patent, the device was also patented in France
, Germany
and Italy
. After his death, his daughter announced plans to donate the original model of the device to the Medical School of the University of Miami.
London died at age 95 on July 14, 2010, at his home in Miami Beach due to heart disease
.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and inventor who created the first automatic blood pressure monitor
Sphygmomanometer
A sphygmomanometer or blood pressure meter is a device used to measure blood pressure, comprising an inflatable cuff to restrict blood flow, and a mercury or mechanical manometer to measure the pressure. It is always used in conjunction with a means to determine at what pressure blood flow is just...
.
London was born on July 1, 1915, in Detroit and moved to Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
as a youth together with his family, where he graduated from Miami Beach Senior High School in 1932. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, was awarded a master's degree from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
in 1940. He did an internship in cardiopulmonary medicine at Bellevue Hospital Center
Bellevue Hospital Center
Bellevue Hospital Center, most often referred to as "Bellevue", was founded on March 31, 1736 and is the oldest public hospital in the United States. Located on First Avenue in the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, Bellevue is famous from many literary, film and television...
, where he met and married Rose Perrone,a fellow medical student. He returned to Miami Beach after completing his medical training and operated a medical practice for 50 years together with his wife, who died in 2008. They helped found the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and the Miami Heart Institute at Mount Sinai Medical Center
Mount Sinai Medical Center & Miami Heart Institute
Mount Sinai Medical Center & Miami Heart Institute is a hospital located at 4300 Alton Road in Miami Beach, Florida, and is the largest independent non-profit teaching hospital in the state. The institution was incorporated on March 11, 1946, and opened on its current location on Sunday, December...
.
London developed the automated blood pressure machine after having to spend time on multiple occasions fumbling to take a patient's blood pressure by hand. He created the original prototype of his patented device using an old blood pressure cuff, a column of mercury, a pump from a fish tank and a microphone. To demonstrate the accuracy of their device, London and his wife conducted a double blind study of 400 physicians at the 1965 annual convention of the American Medical Association
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
. The study findings, which demonstrated that there was no statistically significant difference between the results taken automatically and those done by hand, were published in a November 1966 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association
Journal of the American Medical Association
The Journal of the American Medical Association is a weekly, peer-reviewed, medical journal, published by the American Medical Association. Beginning in July 2011, the editor in chief will be Howard C. Bauchner, vice chairman of pediatrics at Boston University’s School of Medicine, replacing ...
. In addition to a United States patent, the device was also patented in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. After his death, his daughter announced plans to donate the original model of the device to the Medical School of the University of Miami.
London died at age 95 on July 14, 2010, at his home in Miami Beach due to heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
.