Top 5 Inventions That Save Lives
The world is full of life saving inventions, so many of them, that we sometimes forget to stop and appreciate. The last century has furthered the cause of mankind more than previous recorded history rolled into one. The 5 top inventions that have saved countless lives should be pondered and remembered.
1. LifeStraw
Tens of millions of people in third world nations are subject to impure
water conditions that cause death, destruction and disease. Aiding and
assisting one thirsty person at a time was not an option, so from the
mind of Danish inventor, Torben Vestergaard, LifeStraw was born. This
innovated way to purify water is a lightweight straw that may be worn
around the neck or carried in the pocket. Purifying water on contact
with the straw, LifeStraw has and will continue to save countless lives
around the world.
2. Seatbelts
Another thumbs-up to the Scandinavians for their idea to invent and
install the first seatbelts into their 1849 line of Volvos. The first
American to patent the seatbelt product was New Yorker Edgar J. Claghorn
in 1885, and the rest is history. Swedish innovator, Nils Bohlin made
the patent for the first modern seatbelt and it was installed by Volvo
is 1959. Most of the modern world requires the use of a seatbelt for
driver and passengers, and this safety request has saved millions of
lives on the road. No matter how late you are or how distracted, never
turn the key until you have buckled-up.
3. CAT Scans
The CAT scan machine, also known as a CT, is a high-tech medical imaging
machine to detect tissue abnormalities, internal bleeding and fractures
in a detailed 3D format. CAT, or Computer Axial Tomography, is used for
accurate and immediate feedback for medical specialists and surgeons to
get the total body picture of a patient. Painless and a comfortable
ride, patients lie on their back for a slow and easy glide through the
CT tunnel from top to bottom. Without the precision and timely results
from the CT unit, life and death could hang in the balance. Godfrey
Newbold Hounsfield invented this life saving hospital machine in 1972
and it has revolutionized the speed of treatment with an instant
diagnosis.
4. Pacemakers
The first pacemaker was created by Canadian engineer, John Hopps, in
1950. The heart pacemaker was Hopps' idea to stop fibrillation via an
implanted electrical pulse. The modern-day pacemaker has saved many
lives by analyzing the heart's electrical system and sending charges to
help the heart function properly. Though the heart does beat on its own,
the pacemaker regulates the counts, providing live-giving protection
against weakness and sudden death.
5. Vaccinations
The concept of the vaccine was invented by English physician, Edward
Jenner, in the late 19th century. Dr. Jenner observed the behavior of
dairymaids and their resiliency to getting cowpox due their exposure to a
cow's utter. The usage of the vaccine is to inject a small and harmless
dosage of an infectious disease to allow the body to build up it's own
immunity. Vaccine inoculations have been used to eradicate and/or reduce
cowpox, smallpox, the flu, polio, hepatitis, cholera and rabies making
this English invention the key component to staving off deadly disease
in the 20th century.
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