Mercury Sphygmomanometer

I have a few of them. I have a large collection of BP equipment. I have Welch Allyn, Baum, Omron and even a SEARS model. I have just about every variation of BP equipment you can think of.

I have some of the german Erka known as Erkameter. I like it very much, but it is a little bit big to carry.

@Luvnurses62

Good day and hello,

Earlier I also had, two tree manometer from Erka with a mercury column in it. The one gauge I bought at the time at the municipal flea and flea market. It was a typical tree manometer from Erka, in a metal housing. The Harken cuff, tubing and bellows had been dark green. I liked to use it to take my blood pressure. I also had this device with me when in school, in biology class, the topic was "Human Heart".

I got the other measuring device from a student at the local university in my town. It had a blue Velcro cuff, red tubing and a red bellows. The mercury column and accessories were enclosed in a wooden case.

Unfortunately, I had to return both meters because one of the meters was leaking and mercury was constantly leaking out during measurement. The other meter broke when it fell to the ground and the column shattered.

Today, I no longer own a meter with a mercury column. It would be too dangerous for me nowadays, and since one may no longer use such meters and actively use, in Germany, due to the toxic content. I measure today only with the manual anoroid watches meters and/or with electric/digital meters.

All the best and best regards.

I love the look of the old mercury sphyg’s, takes me back to my early visits to the Dr in the 70’s and seeing one in his surgery. I‘m not a fan of the modern wrist gauges, would much rather have a Dr use a cuff and his stethoscope to check my BP

Bpdoc and all you Baum spygmo lovers. Baum cuffs are the greatest. Nothing like being attached to the iconic Baum wall model. Have any of you had your pressure checked with the Baum bandage type cuff? To the best of my knowledge Baum doesn't make them any more and they are hard to find on the internet in good condition. I have two of them in a gunsmoke color. I love feeling that fabric on my arm. I also have a Baum mercury instrument with a patient date of 1925. Its in a wooden case and still works perfectly. Sometimes I wonder how many lovely ladies had a pressure check with that thing. And yes, that distinct Baum sound. Years ago a lady friend of mine and myself when in for our certification physical examinations. She was put in a exam room next to me. The walls were quite thin and I could hear fairly well what was going on with her exam. When her blood pressure was checked(both arms) I knew a Baum cuff was being used because of the sound it was making. I swear you can hear a Baum cuff inflating a city block away. But we just love it!!! I think its time for me to see how my Baum aneroid(medium blue cuff) is doing. I hope my neighbors don't complain about the "noise." Keep pumping up those Baum cuffs people!!!

Many years ago I had a pre-employment physical and to my surprise and excitement I noticed the Baum wall model had the bandage type cuff in the holder. After listening to my heart and lungs, the doctor picked up the cuff and wrapped it around my left arm. She placed the stethoscope below the cuff and started to pump it up. Nothing happened. She tried again. Still nothing. She said to the nurse, "It won't pump up." She proceeded to remove the cuff and by that time the nurse had taken a Tycos aneriod hook cuff out of a drawer and handed it to her. She strapped that one on my arm and it inflated fine. To this very day I am still pissed off that cuff failed and robbed me of wonderful pressure experience. I suppose it had a leak in its rubber bladder. I love physicals but that one was a disappointment having missed the bandage cuff applied to my arm and not pumped up. The doctor put it on so skillfully which means she had done it many times before.

I have an ERKA model mercury sphygmomanometer. It belonged to my mother and I had it restored a few years ago.