Instruments - Museo del Diabete

museo del diabete
    The Museum of Diabetes
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    The development of science is driven, in normal periods of science, by adherence to a ‘paradigm’.
     
    The functions of a paradigm are to supply puzzles for scientists to solve and to provide the tools for their solution.
     
    A crisis in science arises when confidence is lost in the ability of the paradigm to solve particularly worrying puzzles called ‘anomalies’.
     
    Crisis is followed by a scientific revolution if the existing paradigm is superseded by a rival.."

    Thomas Kuhn

    Devices for monitoring urine
    Home self-administered monitoring of glycosuria.
    The dosage of glycosuria facilitated sporadic self-monitoring of diabetes with Fehling, Benedict and Nylander reagents, requiring modest lab equipment.




    The Bottini Diabetimter
    An example of equipmment for home-based monitoring of glycosuria.
    The Ames Clinitest
    In 1947 Benedict reagents were put into a tablet which, on reaction with diluted urine, changed colour that varied from blue to green to orange according to how much glucose was present: the Ames Clinitest.
    Ketostix
    In 1956 the reactive strips for research and semiquantitive dosage of blood glucose came onto the market. The same principle was used to create strips to search for ketone bodies.
    Clini-tek
    Device for reading the Multistix reactive strip and the identification in urine of 10 parameters: glucose, protrein, pH, blood, ketone bodies, bilirubin, urobilinogen, nitrates, specific weight and leucocytes
    Zeiss Polarimeter (’70s)
    For the dosage of glycosuria.
    Glycemia measurement devices
    ERKA colour-meter
    For measuring glycemia after taking the place of the Crecelius colour-meter (late 1800s), being simpler and faster.
    Dextrostix reactive strips
    From 1964 to 1967 these were widely adopted for measuring glycemia in capillary blood. Dextrostix by Ames.

    Glucose Reflectance Meter
    A portable device with a re-chargeable battery for the measurement of Glycemia. It used Dextrostix reactive strips. Designed with a needle capable of showing the intensity of ‘blue light’ reflected by a Dextrostix strip. The data produced by the device revealed the level of glucose in the blood. The tool was supplied with a rechargeable battery.
    Reflomat

    A German made which, although very precise, was not easy to use.
    Glucocheck
    1977: Glucochek Medistron: with portable battery
    Ames Dextrometer
    Ames device from 1978 for measuring glycemia after the Reflectance Meter
    Rapidgluco
    1979: “Rapidgluco”, simplified electric reflectance meter using Dextrostix strips and self-regulating; designed at the Karen Bruni Boecher Center: low cost and simple to use, it included an original finger-pricking device. (Pungigluco).
    Reflolux - Boehringer Mannheim
    Reflolux - Boehringer Mannheim Portable Glucometer using a battery. It required Haemoglucotest reactive strips
    Reflolux II
    An evolution of the previous gluco-meter
    One Touch Lifescan 1988
    The glucose reactive strip did not need to be wiped.
    Glucometer M
    It worked using batteries and Dextrostix strips and allowed to record relevant events of the day (meals, physical exercise, hyper-glycemia, etc)
    Camit EL
    Glucometer with multiple functions. It was able to memorise the time and dose of each insulin administration, together with any particular event during the day. The data were then downloaded onto a computer and elaborated.
    Syringes and infusers
    1 ml syringe
    Insulin syringe
    Classic sterilizing kettle
    for sterilizing syringes
    Electric kettle
    for sterilizing syringes
    Universal Lombardo Autosyringe
    Universal Lombardo Autosyringe for insulin injection,
    used by the diabetic technical engineer Piero Barbieri,
    from 1937 to 1993
    Glass syringe for insulin
    Syringe and case for transport
    Pump for subcutaneous insulin infusion
    1978: the first Italian model designed by Luigi Canè (Collegno - To)
    CPI 9100
    Syringe pump for outpatient insulin infusion (1981)
    Injector without needle
    An instrument for injecting insulin through the skin under pressure, without needle (‘90s). It did not work.
    Medical instruments and devices
    BMS3 e PHM71 Mk2
    ‘80s
    Instrument for the measurement of blood pH, used in the treatment of diabetic coma.
    Lactate Analyzer model 640 - Roche
    Instrument for dosage of lactic acid in the blood, used in the treatment of diabetic coma. (end of the ’70s)
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