A stethoscope is an acoustic medical device for listening to body sounds. It was invented in France in 1816 by René-Théophile-Hyacinthe Laennec.
It is often thought of as a symbol of the doctor's profession, as doctors are often seen or depicted with a stethoscope hanging around their neck.
See also: Slide Rule
wikipedia.org dumped 2003-03-17 with terodump