Key Players and Places

Anton Clemens

Image of Anton Clemens (right) with the Vice President of Professional Products and President and Chief Executive Officer of Miles Laboratories Inc.

Clemens was a German engineer who is known as the inventor of the first blood glucose meter/monitor. Clemens began working at the Ames division of Miles Laboratories in 1965 until he retired in 1981. He held the position of director of instruments in the research and development department. Clemens began working on the “Ames Reflectance Meter” in 1966 and finished the first prototype in 1968. The meter was initially developed and worked on as a hobby for Clemens because Miles Laboratories did not significantly invest in products that were not consumable [1].

Anton Clemens (right) working with Walter Ames Compton (center) and George Orr within the Miles Laboratory. [1]

Miles Laboratory

Originally called Miles’ Medical Company in Elkhart, Indiana and run by Dr. Franklin Miles, this institution was the foundation for Miles Laboratories. Following the success of their invention of Alka-Seltzer, the laboratory worked on the development of vitamins and other similar health care products. In 1930, Miles Laboratory formed the subsidiary of Ames Company who were responsible for the invention and research involved in the Ames Reflectance Meter: the first blood glucose meter. In 1974 Miles Laboratories were acquired by Bayer Laboratories, based in Germany [2].

Dick Bernstein

Image of Dick Bernstein [3].

Dick Bernstein was an engineer and the first person to buy the Ames Reflectance Meter. He was motivated to purchase the meter due to his constant struggle with hypoglycemia in hopes of having the ability to monitor his glucose levels himself. Originally, a prescription was required: this was a huge hurdle for diabetic patients to face. Fortunately, Bernstein could overcome this challenge as it was mentioned during an interview with David Mendosa that “you [Bernstein] were in the fortunate position that you have an M.D. wife” [3].

Image of Dick Bernstein [2].

Charlie Suther

Charlie Suther was an employee of Ames Laboratories as a sales representative. He eventually was given the title of the market manager for diabetes products of Ames Company in the late 60s and early 70s. These products included the Dextrostix, the Ames Reflectance Meter and the Eyetone meter [4].

1 Mendosa, Daivd. “History of Blood Glucose Meters: Transcripts of Interviews”. Mendosa.com. David Mendosa, February 15, 2006, http://www.mendosa.com/history.htm.

2  Verg, Erik. “Miles—an ideal partner for Bayer” In Milestones The Bayer Story 1863-1988, Edited by Cromwell-Aherns Consultants, pg 514-520. Leverkusen, West Germany: Bayer AG, 1988

3 Mendosa, “History of Blood Glucose Meters”.

4 Ibid.

Images:

  1. Annual Report of Miles Laboratories Inc., 1969. Photograph. From: Mendosa, Daivd. “History of Blood Glucose Meters: Transcripts of Interviews”. Mendosa.com. David Mendosa, February 15, 2006,
  2. Dr. Bernstein, Photo Courtesy of Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution About; History, http://www.diabetes-book.com/about/

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