The Mechanism of the Heart Beat and Electrocardiography
name: label: Collection Creator
content: National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Medical Sciences
label: Collection Creator
content: National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Medical Sciences
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medical Sciences Film Collection
label: See more items in
content: Medical Sciences Film Collection / Series 1: Technical Films
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1 Film reel (black and white, silent, print, 16mm; 800 feet)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1956
container: label: Container
content: Reel OF 222.15
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Film reels
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Film by Lewis M. Hurxthal, M.D., Lahey Clinic; animation by Albert Paganelli; produced by Worcester Film Corporation.	

Summary: This film begins with a description and diagram of the heart. Next it shows the anatomical path involved in a heart beat. The following variations on normal performance are described: premature beats, compensatory pause, paroxyginal tachicardia, and predominant hypertrophy. Explains that the electrocardiogram "is of value in diagnosing the following conditions: certain arhythmias, heart block, axis deviation, and coronary occlusion."