History of Clarke's stereotactic instrument

The first original stereotactic instrument was designed by the turn of this century by the British surgeon, anatomist, and physiologist Robert Henry Clarke. In 1905 James Swift, in London, constructed the first machine, 'Clarke's stereoscopic instrument employed for excitation and electrolysis'. It was first used in 1906 by Clarke and Victor Horsley to create minute electrolytic lesions in the CNS of animals. The stereotactic apparatus was patented by Clarke in 1914 and cost 300 pounds. Two further instruments were made by Goodwin and Velacott in London and brought to the United States to be used for animal research. The principal of these machines constitutes the basis of modern stereoguides for human use designed after World War II. Clarke's original instrument was last used by Dr Barrington, a genitourinary surgeon in London in the early 1950s. It then disappeared but parts were detected by Dr Hitchcock in 1960 and the complete machine by Dr Merrington in 1970. It can now be found at the museum of University College Hospital in London.