In 1932 South Australian inventor Edward ‘Ted’ Both invented an electrocardiograph, which was one of the first direct writing electrocardiographs in the world.
So how did a man from small town Caltowie come up with this idea?
The Idea
It was during a visit to the local doctor. While seeking treatment for an injured hand he chatted with the doctor who was treating him. The doctor casually mentioned that he wished that he had a portable cardiograph. With his mind ticking, Ted offered to make him one.
Both ECG
This first model, used the established photographic system of recording tracings, which involved delays in film processing. Ted quickly realised the limitations of this method. So he designed a new type of electrocardiograph. The ‘new’ model produced instant viewable results, allowing a physician to make a fast diagnosis.
The Both designed electrocardiograph took off. So impressed by his talet Professor Kerr Grant (Professor of Physics at the University of Adelaide) helped Ted to establish a small workshop to manufacture his new electrocardiograph. Ted invited his younger brother Donald (Don) down from the country to join him in this new venture. Both Equipment Ltd was formed and was a great success. As the Both ECG’s were designed to be portable and easy to use it also turned out to be affordable and this made them envied by physicians.
“The machine would be carried from the consulting rooms (into the private hospital or home}. The machine was built to operate on 240V AC current, but often domestic wiring would not be earthed adequately. The refrigerator would have to be turned off and a specific earth connector to tap into the wet earth in the garden to prevent AC interference” – Dr Peter Hetzel (private practice and RAH in 1958 He used K2 Model.
In 1966 Ted and Don made the decision to sell the business to Drug Houses of Australia (DHA). Later that year the last ECG carrying the Both name was produced. With the company sold the brothers continued to work for DHA until retiring in 1974.
Want to know more about the Both Brothers? Take a look at a previous blog https://healthmuseumsa.org.au/2025/01/the-edisons-of-australia/
Written by Kellie Branson, CALHN Health Museum