Tuning forks in the medical profession?

[Robert Goodale]

Being a university tech I sometimes wonder down to the union for lunch. 
 Today I took a detour and browsed the book store for a moment.  Having 
a large medical program the book store stocks an inventory of supplies 
for med students labs and classes.  In the display were stethoscopes, 
forceps, kits for student nurses, sphygmomanometers, and so on.  Along 
with this were tuning forks!  Huge ones, (very low frequency), with 
sliding adjustable weights on the tines to adjust the pitch. There were 
two different sizes and the label proudly announced them as "highly 
accurate for the medical profession".

I would find it hard to believe that these are used for testing hearing 
since the objective of a university it to teach techniques using current 
and modern equipment.  So what would one use a tuning fork for if one 
were studying modern medicine?  Perhaps to scan a patient's credit for 
paying the bill?

Rob Goodale, RPT
Las Vegas, NV