By David Keisler
We have mentioned that the stethoscope and the percussion hammer are low-tech tools that assist in the physical examination. The watch is another tool used on a regular basis to help measure bodily functions. It is so simple we usually do not consider the watch a medical instrument, but it is used daily in all medical offices and hospitals.
Most commonly measured are the respiratory rate or breathing rate, the heart rate and the time between contractions during delivery at the time of child birth. The rate of intravenous fluid infusion is also measured in milliliters per hour. An IV running at 125 milliliters per hour will deliver one liter of fluids in an eight-hour period.
The normal respiratory rate or ventilation rate for an adult at rest is about 12 breaths per minute. The respiratory rate is generally faster in patients with heart disease, asthma, diabetes and chronic obstructive lung disease. Naturally, if you are exercising, your respiratory rate and pulse will both increase according to your level of activity and level of physical fitness. The more fit you are, the sooner your pulse will return to normal following exertion.
Some years ago, our youngest daughter was at the beach with a friend and stepped on something in the surf. She reached down and pulled up a nice but somewhat sand-blasted Swiss Army watch which she kindly gave to me upon her return home to Aiken. The watch was fully functional and accurate for many years. I put it in my sock drawer when it quit running about ten years ago and forgot about it until recently. The watch received a mild tune up and is once again operational and will probably be given to one of the grandkids. Right now, it's a little large for a 2-year-old's wrist, but it disperses analog time and has a nice traditional watch "tic-tock" sound.
For some reason, at least in this country, we feel that it is important to record as accurately as possible the time of birth and the time of death. But, what you do with the time in between those recordings is up to you. I hope it takes several watches to document that interval.
David Keisler is a gastroenterologist and internist in Aiken.![]()
We have mentioned that the stethoscope and the percussion hammer are low-tech tools that assist in the physical examination. The watch is another tool used on a regular basis to help measure bodily functions. It is so simple we usually do not consider the watch a medical instrument, but it is used daily in all medical offices and hospitals.
Most commonly measured are the respiratory rate or breathing rate, the heart rate and the time between contractions during delivery at the time of child birth. The rate of intravenous fluid infusion is also measured in milliliters per hour. An IV running at 125 milliliters per hour will deliver one liter of fluids in an eight-hour period.
The normal respiratory rate or ventilation rate for an adult at rest is about 12 breaths per minute. The respiratory rate is generally faster in patients with heart disease, asthma, diabetes and chronic obstructive lung disease. Naturally, if you are exercising, your respiratory rate and pulse will both increase according to your level of activity and level of physical fitness. The more fit you are, the sooner your pulse will return to normal following exertion.
Some years ago, our youngest daughter was at the beach with a friend and stepped on something in the surf. She reached down and pulled up a nice but somewhat sand-blasted Swiss Army watch which she kindly gave to me upon her return home to Aiken. The watch was fully functional and accurate for many years. I put it in my sock drawer when it quit running about ten years ago and forgot about it until recently. The watch received a mild tune up and is once again operational and will probably be given to one of the grandkids. Right now, it's a little large for a 2-year-old's wrist, but it disperses analog time and has a nice traditional watch "tic-tock" sound.
For some reason, at least in this country, we feel that it is important to record as accurately as possible the time of birth and the time of death. But, what you do with the time in between those recordings is up to you. I hope it takes several watches to document that interval.
David Keisler is a gastroenterologist and internist in Aiken.