Observation reveals that about half of chest physicians use the stethoscope bell when auscultating the lungs and the other half use the diaphragm. None directly apply their ears. Despite extensive reading we have not encountered an evidence based answer to the question “Should normal mortals use the bell or diaphragm?” This unanswered question thus prompted an acoustical odyssey.
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Welsby et al. (2001) studied this question.
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