Ask the Engineer: Engineering in Medical

Medical Equipment. Even the sound of the phrase stirs sweat under the collar for some of our intrepid Starfleet Officers. The thought of a hypospray incites fear in the hearts of many. However, Lieutenant Junior Grade Arielle Teagan, Chief Engineer of the USS Constitution-B has written the following article regarding this intriguing equipment and how modern medical equipment has its roots in it’s engineering brother.
“In Star Trek some of the today known medical instruments are replaced with modern technology to provide better and faster treatment. Most advanced are the Medical Tricorder, Emergency Medical Hologram and Biobed, all doctors “big help” in diagnosis and faster and more productive treatment of patients.
Medical Tricorder: This device is a more sophisticated device than its sister model, regular science tricorder. It is used for medical applications only. It has a removable scanning probe that allows for a freer movement around the subject being scanned and ease of reading whilst scanning.
EMH (Emergency Medical Holographic program): sophisticated hologram developed in the early 2370s by Starfleet and used on most Federation starships in the late 24th Century. It was designed to provide short-term advanced assistance during emergencies in sickbay to the extent of literally replacing a starship’s medical officer.
Biobed: Medical device in the form of a bed, used to monitor patients’ vital signs. Some advanced models have built in sensors to analyze patients to the molecular level.
Questioningly, engineering equipment are Hypospray and vials containing drugs, which replaced needles and syringes.
Hypospray: Medical instrument for the subcutaneous (located or placed just beneath the skin) and intramuscular (within a muscle) administration of medicine for many humanoid patients. It uses an extremely fine high-pressure aero suspension delivery system, eliminating the need for a needle to penetrate the skin.
Hypospray Vial: Various drugs can be used with a hypospray. They are inserted into the hypo in vials attached to the end of the instrument.
Another helper that replaced a needle which quite often caused inflammations is the Dermal Regenerator: a medical instrument used to repair damaged epidermal tissue.
Antigrav Lift: A medical device used to carry casualties or an incapacitated person from one place to another. It uses technology similar to that of a hovercraft or antigrav sled. Old fashioned Wheelchairs are replaced with antigrav chairs.
The device which saving lives in situations where nothing else works are various Stasis Units: Emergency medical devices used to hold a patient in suspended animation until treatment can be rendered. It can also be used to preserve dead bodies and prevent them from decaying whilst awaiting burial.”
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