Scipione Riva-Rocci

Scipione Riva-Rocci (7 August 1863 — 15 March 1937) was an Italian internist and pediatrician who was a native of Almese. He earned his medical degree in 1888 from the University of Turin, and from 1900 until 1928 was director of the hospital in Varese.

He developed an easy to use version of the sphygmomanometer. His original sphygmomanometer consisted of every-day objects such as an inkwell, some copper pipe, bicycle inner tubing and a quantity of mercury. His initials RR were sometimes used to indicate blood pressure measured with his technique. Neurosurgeon Harvey Cushing improved his device, and played a major role in bringing Riva-Rocci's mercury sphygmomanometer to the attention of physicians world-wide.

Riva-Rocci also made contributions involving pulmonary and respiratory medicine, especially his research of pulmonary tuberculosis. As a young doctor he assisted Carlo Forlanini with the technique of iatrogenic pneumothorax for the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.