Autoclave Charles Chamberland in 1884, although a precursor known as the steam digester was created by Denis Papin in 1679. The name comes from Greek "auto-", ultimately meaning self, and Latin "clavis" meaning key, thus a self-locking device. Sterilization autoclaves are widely used in microbiology, medicine, podiatry, tattooing, body piercing, veterinary medicine, mycology, funerary practice, dentistry, and prosthetics fabrication. They vary in size and function depending on the media to be sterilized and are sometimes called retort in the chemical and food industries. Typical loads include laboratory glassware, other equipment and waste, surgical instruments, and medical waste. A notable recent and
Medical–industrial complex trends of the increasing influence of the medical-industrial complex. Another trend is that increased pressure to generate profit for providing services can decrease the influence of creativity or innovation in medical research. In the 1970s profit-seeking companies became significant stakeholders in the United States healthcare system. The influence of economic policy on the practice of medicine has a long history. Because the General Agreement on Trade in Services regulates international marketplaces, in countries where the industrial-medical complex is more strong there can be legal limitations to consumer options for accessing diverse healthcare services. Because the industrial-medical complex funds continuing medical