Clinical Ballistocardiography.

The authors have been investigating the value of the ballistocardiograph as a clinical instrument at the University of Rochester Medical College for six years. Although most of the information they obtained was on the horizontal, undamped, high frequency, bed-type ballistocardiograph originally described by Starr in 1939, a chapter is devoted to a description and criticism of most of the ballistocardiographs now made and available for clinical use. The authors have not only presented their own findings but have gathered together all pertinent information from the literature. Careful consideration is given to the many sources of error that are inherent in this new technique. The authors state, "The full limits of a normal pattern have yet to be defined and normal pattern does not rule out heart disease." When properly used in conjunction with other diagnostic and prognostic ends the ballistocardiogram is shown by the authors to be of some value