Cedge
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2007
- Messages
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My wife works as office manager for an local medical doctor. As is the case in most practices, medical sales reps are always trying to find a new gadget that no one else has given the doctors. This used to go to extremes until the US passed laws limiting what value a gift could have. This has driven these guys to become quite creative and there have been some really oddball things come through the office in the past few years.
We've got fancy pens to walk on, clipboards in uncounted numbers, laser pens are a regular item and some of the toys they find have been rediculously entertaining.
Yesterday my wife asked me if I might have a use for the bulb from a sphygnonometer. Thats the fancy name for an old fashioned blood pressure cuff. Many M.D's still prefer them over the new automated digital versions because they can get a lot of information by feeling and listening to the pulse. Her Doc is just that type of guy, so his gets a constant workout and eventually they wear out.
One of the drug companies figured out that a replacement bulb and pressure line with their logo might grab the attention of a few MD's and supplied their reps with a rather generous supply of them. The rep's replaced all the worn out bulbs they encountered and then found they had enough to outfit each doctor many times over. They began giving them away in quantity just to have room for the next generation of gadgets.
My wife brought one in this evening and I had to do a triple take to make sure I was seeing properly. There in her hands was a length of thick walled surgical tubing, exactly the diameter of most steam lines inlets I've used. Then she pointed out the most perfect surgical stainless steel throttle valve you'll ever see and a very small stainless steel check valve, just custom made for a feedwater pump project.
I thanked her and she asked if it was really a useful item. I responded that I couldn't have asked for nicer steam engine materials. That's when she asked if I wanted the other 16 repair bulbs she had sitting in her way at work....LOL
I think I'll keep her....
Steve
We've got fancy pens to walk on, clipboards in uncounted numbers, laser pens are a regular item and some of the toys they find have been rediculously entertaining.
Yesterday my wife asked me if I might have a use for the bulb from a sphygnonometer. Thats the fancy name for an old fashioned blood pressure cuff. Many M.D's still prefer them over the new automated digital versions because they can get a lot of information by feeling and listening to the pulse. Her Doc is just that type of guy, so his gets a constant workout and eventually they wear out.
One of the drug companies figured out that a replacement bulb and pressure line with their logo might grab the attention of a few MD's and supplied their reps with a rather generous supply of them. The rep's replaced all the worn out bulbs they encountered and then found they had enough to outfit each doctor many times over. They began giving them away in quantity just to have room for the next generation of gadgets.
My wife brought one in this evening and I had to do a triple take to make sure I was seeing properly. There in her hands was a length of thick walled surgical tubing, exactly the diameter of most steam lines inlets I've used. Then she pointed out the most perfect surgical stainless steel throttle valve you'll ever see and a very small stainless steel check valve, just custom made for a feedwater pump project.
I thanked her and she asked if it was really a useful item. I responded that I couldn't have asked for nicer steam engine materials. That's when she asked if I wanted the other 16 repair bulbs she had sitting in her way at work....LOL
I think I'll keep her....
Steve
