«INVENTUM NOVUM» BY LEOPOLD AUENBRUGGER AND HIS FOLLOWERS. DEDICATED TO 200th ANNIVERSARY OF HIS DEATH (1722–1809)

Abstract

In Vein in 1761 a work on Latin named «Inventum novum ex percussione thoracis humani ut signoabstrusos interni pectoris morbos detergendi» (A new invention, which allows on the basis of percussion data of human thorax, as a sign, to discover diseases hidden in the depth) by Leopold Auenbrugger, consisted of 14 signs, each one of them was followed by thorough explanation was published. There Auenbrugger gives an explanation to pathologic processes from the position of medical knowledge of his time. Despite short description, Auenbrugger discusses almost all basic questions of the percussion use as a diagnostic method, especially: its technique, method of conduction, analyzed percutory tone as a norm or pathology. The author is an inventor of aso called «passing through» percussion: «one should tap slowly and gently on the chest, to be precise, to tap by the tips of the straight and held together fingers». Although not his university colleagues in Vein, nor English, German, French or Russian doctors of that time did not consider «Inventum novum» as a great discovery, which needs a more broad attention. Therefore, even though the physicians sometimes used this percussion, they never mentioned this method in their scientific work. This matter began to change in 1808, when Paris saw the work of the famous French doctor, leib – physician of Napoleon I, Corvisart Jan Nicolas de Mare; (1755–1821) «Nouvelle method pour reconnaitre les maladies internes de la poitrine par la percussion de cette cavite par Auenbrugger, ouvrage traduit du latin et commente», («A new method method for the determination of the internal thoracic diseases by means percussion of this cavity by Auenbrugger method, this work was translated from latin with commentaries»). However only the year 1819 can be considered as a year of the physical diagnostics in medicine was born. Many modifications of percutory method, its use in modern physical examination of the patient one more time emphasizes the significance of the discovery of the Vein doctor Leopold Auenbrugger, whom we remember 200 years after his death (May 17, 1809).