History
The modern hypodermic needle is generally said to have been invented in 1853, although the concept of the syringe was known in antiquity; Galen made use of syringes in his experiments. Robert Boyle and Christopher Wren experimented with syringe-like devices in 1657, and 18th-century physician Dominique Anel created the modern pump syringe as a device to clean wounds using suction.
Charles Pravaz (1791–1853), French surgeon, and Alexander Wood (1817–1884), Scottish physician, independently invented the hypodermic syringe. Wanting to inject iron perchlorate coagulant into an aneurysm, Pravaz designed a needle measuring 3 cm (1.18 in) long and 5 mm (0.2 in) in diameter; the syringe was entirely in silver, made by Établissements Charrière, and operated by a screw (rather than the plunger familiar today) to control the amount of substance injected. Pravaz did little to publicize the invention, and it was L. J. Béhier who instead made Pravaz's invention known across Europe. The science of sclerotherapy and the treatment of varicose veins and other varices grew from this invention.
The hollow needle inserted into a vein remains our optimal method of fluid resuscitation to this day. Other means for introduction of extravascular fluid to the intravascular space remain elusive. Arthrocentesis remains a time honored method of removing excess synovial fluid followed by injection of therapeutic interventions.
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