After attending the Science Museum for a scheduled tour, I knew that I would be going back as soon as possible to see the Health and Medical exhibits. My major is biomedical engineering; therefore, I enjoyed looking around at the inventions displayed throughout this exhibit. I learned more about the origins of my major as well as inspired about all scientists have accomplished over the years.
When I got to the Medicine and Heath section of the Science Museum, there was a piece of equipment that immediately caught my attention. It was a table with a mask for a face and then a drill going down towards the mask. This machine was used to first treat patients for head cancer. Patients had to wear Perspex face moulds fixed to the table in order to keep their head completely still. From the looks of the machine, I can only imagine how claustrophobic the patients felt when undergoing surgery. I personally cannot even imagine having to sit with a mask strapping down my face while they drilled into my head. Today they have significantly improved the process for treating head cancer. The process is much more comfortable and accurate.
Another machine that really stood out to me was an old MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging. This machine was used in 1989 to take pictures of people’s brains. Today doctors frequently use MRIs when diagnosing patients. The clarity of the images have greatly improved since 1989. I thought it was fascinating seeing how far technology has come. I hope to one day use my biomedical engineering degree to further improve machines such as the MRI.
Finally, two of the last machines to stand out to me were the automated DNA sequencer and chromatography machines. Both of these pieces of medical equipment have a lot of significance to me because I worked with different versions of these labs in my classes at North Carolina State University. The first machine, the automated DNA sequencer, has been around since the 1970s; however, the specific machine I saw was from 1987. I used an automated DNA sequencer in Biology lab. The model I worked with in biology was much smaller than the one I saw in the museum. Similarly, the chromatography machine I used in college, but I worked with this piece of equipment during my bioinstrumentations class. Chromatography has been around since 1930, but the machine I saw was made in 1993.
By looking at the head cancer table, MRI, automated DNA sequencer, and chromatography machine, I learned more about the history of my major and the significance of biomedical engineering for improving the medical world. I really love how London has free museums like the science museum so I can gain knowledge on what interests me most.
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