A specialized instrument used to analyze the spectrum of light absorbed by blood and blood components for diagnostic purposes.
From 'hema' (blood) + 'spectro' (relating to light spectrum) + 'scope' (viewing instrument), combining Greek and Latin roots to name a 19th-century diagnostic tool.
Before modern lab tests, doctors used these clever optical instruments to detect disease—the color and patterns of light absorption through blood samples could hint at infections, poisons, or anemia.
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