"
It all started when Mr. Wilson was
working on the research for the Chronic Disease Research Institute at the University of
Buffalo. He was producing a circuit that
aimed to record the rhythmic heartbeats.
During the process of actually putting the
circuit together Mr. Wilson made a mistake
he pulled out a wrong resistor… as a result,
the circuit began emitting alternating electrical impulses. These electrical impulses
were immediately associated with the resemblance of the pattern to the regular human heartbeat. After Wilson discovered
these similarities he began thinking of the
wonders this pacemaker can achieve in aiding those people who suffer from cardiac
malfunction. He began developing the pacemaker further attempting to transform it in
to a small device that will also be undamaged by body fluids.
" To make his dream a reality Mr. Wilson
combined forces with two physicians at the
Veteran Administration Hospital, Dr. Andrew
Gage and Dr. William Chardack. While developing the device they renamed it the
Chardack-Greatbatch pacemaker. After
years of modifications and testing they
were able to successfully control the heartbeat of a dog by the year 1958. After experimentation and testing proceeded they were
able to effectively implant the pacemaker in
10 (willing) people, suffering from cardiac
malfunctions, in the 1960s. After the pacemaker proved effective Mr. Wilson decided
to license his product with a company lo-
cated in Minneapolis in 1961 a company
called Medtronic.Inc. Medtronic had already
created an out-of-body (external) pacemaker. After adding the technology produced by Mr. Wilson and his team the pacemaker slowly made it to the top and became the world leader for artificial cardiac
stimulation.
" After the product reached the market
some inefficiencies started to rise. That was
with the short life of its zinc-mercury batteries. Mr. Wilson had to return to his boards
to create a longer and safer battery. In 1968
he was able to manufacture a lithium-iodide
battery and by the year 1972 he was able
to change possibly explosive circuit into a
safe and long-lasting battery that could hold
strong for at least a decade. Finally, the invention received high accreditations in medical implants and research.
" Thanks to Mr. Wilson those who face
cardiac malfunctions use the pacemaker to
remove symptoms of bradycardia. Even
though the pacemaker is not an overall
cure to stop heart disease nor can it prevent heart attacks it is still a good solution
to help those who suffer cardiac malfunctions. It helps them attain more energy and
no suffer from shortness of breath.
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