THE INVENTION OF THE MODERN UROFLOWMETER BY DRAKE,WILLARD,M., JR AT JEFFERSON MEDICAL-COLLEGE

The uroflowmeter is perhaps the most important and certainly the most commonly used urodynamic instrument currently employed in urologic pra ctice. The modern uroflowmeter was invented by Willard M. Drake, Jr., in 1946 at the Jefferson Medical College. The original manuscript, ent itled ''The uroflometer: an aid to the study of the lower urinary trac t,'' appeared in Journal of Urology in 1948. Drake obtained a US paten t for the device, entitled ''Uroflometer,'' in 1953. The flowmeter, or iginally manufactured by van Beek Industries, was more recently manufa ctured and distributed by Grewe Plastics. Drake is now retired and liv ing in Nacogdoches, Texas. (C) 1998, Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.