How did Leopold Auenbrugger use percussion to investigate chest diseases?

Leopold Auenbrugger, an Austrian physician, pioneered the diagnostic technique of percussion to investigate chest conditions. After seven years of investigation, he described this method in his 1761 work, Inventum Novum.12

The technique involves striking the surface of the body with short, sharp taps—either directly or indirectly—to evaluate the condition of the underlying structures based on the resulting sounds. By tapping the chest, a physician can determine the density of internal organs and identify the presence of fluid or air. For example, a resonant note typically indicates a healthy lung, whereas a dull sound may suggest the presence of fluid, such as in cases of pneumonia.123

Although initially overlooked by his contemporaries, Auenbrugger’s method gained worldwide acceptance following a French translation of his work in 1808. Today, percussion remains a fundamental procedure in bedside physical examinations.1