David S. Sheridan

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David S. Sheridan was the inventor of the modern "disposable" plastic endotracheal tube now used routinely in surgery. Previous to his invention, red rubber tubes were used, then sterilized, and re-used which often lead to the spread of disease and also a high risk of infection. Sheridan is thus credited with saving thousands of lives.

He was also credited with inventing the modern disposable catheter in the 1940's. In his lifetime he started and sold four catheter companies and was dubbed the "Catheter King" by Forbes Magazine in 1988. He also held more than 50 medical instrument patents. Sheridan died April 29, 2004 in Argyle, New York at the age of 95.