This dog hangs his head in shame as he’s just realised he had no idea who invented the first portable blood glucose monitor until he read his obituary today.
This much better informed dog now knows that Sheffield-born electronics engineer Stanley Clark invented said device in his spare time whilst living in Australia, motivated by his 5 year old diabetic daughter who was having to regularly attend hospital to have her sugar levels tested.
Yet more proof that parents of the pancreatically challenged are an amazing force to be reckoned with. Thank you very much Stanley Clark. Great job.
The full story is well worth a read – take a look here http://www.smh.com.au/national/obituaries/inventor-eased-diabetes-burden-20110710-1h8tl.html
What a dedicated man, I’m glad to find out who pioneered the home blood glucose monitor. I remember initially refusing to use glucose strips when they were first introduced as I liked my small test tube and pipette chemistry set used for testing glucose in urine. I loved watching the colour change when the magic Clinitest tablet was added and the fact the test tube got so hot, I felt like a real boffin. The results told you nothing about your current level as you could be hypo but get a positive result for glucose. Eventually I was persuaded to try the strips and my first glucose meter came a couple of years later. It was about the size of a house brick but so much more portable than a chemistry set and a bottle of hazardous tablets. Thank you Stanley Clark.