In his lifetime he started and sold four catheter companies and was dubbed the "Catheter King" by Forbes Magazine
in 1988. He is also credited with the invention of the modern "disposable" plastic endotracheal tube now used
routinely in surgery. Prior to his invention, red rubber tubes were used, sterilized, and then re-used which often
led to the spread of disease and also held a high risk of infection.Silicone is one of the most common choices
because it is inert and unreactive to body fluids and a range of medical fluids with which it might come into
contact. On the other hand, the polymer is weak mechanically.
bard catheters