Who invented the stethoscope?

Rene Laennec was a French physician. He invented the stethoscope in 1816, while working at the  Necker Hospital, and pioneered its use in diagnosing various chest conditions. Dr Laennec coined the term mediate auscultation (indirect listening), as opposed to the popular practice at the time of directly placing the ear on the chest. He named his instrument the stethoscope, from the Greek words [stethos] (chest), and [skopos] (examination).

Photo of a moderm stethoscope