David Ferrier’s Experimental Localization of Cerebral Functions and the Anti-Vivisection Debate

Nuncius ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 146-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmela Morabito
Keyword(s):  
19Th Century ◽  
Natural Theology ◽  
Scientific Discipline ◽  
Medical Community ◽  
Scientific World ◽  
Public Recognition ◽  
The Brain

While representing one of the most important developments in the knowledge of the brain, both for its theoretical advances and its medical consequences, the work of David Ferrier met with strong criticism from conservative circles in Victorian society. At the end of 19th century certain British neurologists and neurosurgeons – including Ferrier – faced vehement public attacks by those aristocrats who, under the banner of antivivisectionism and “natural theology”, expressed their fears of the reorganization of medicine into a scientific discipline. The debate that developed in Victorian society after these events led not only to the diffusion of Ferrier’s ideas and public recognition of the advanced neurosurgical practices that stemmed from his work, but also contributed to the affirmation of the medical community in the scientific world of the time.

scholarly journals Address of the President Sir Robert Robinson, at the anniversary meeting, 1 December 1947

1947 ◽  
Vol 135 (878) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Living Cell ◽  
Royal Society ◽  
Scientific Discipline ◽  
New Science ◽  
Scientific World ◽  
Intimate Association ◽  
Scientific Life

The names that have just been recounted include those of many outstanding personalities in the scientific world and it would not be fitting to attempt even brief appreciations of their manifold services on this occasion. An exception must, however, be made when we mourn such giants as two of the deceased Fellows. Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins, O. M., was elected a Fellow of the Society in 1905; he delivered the Croonian Lecture in 1915, was Royal Medallist in 1918 and Copley Medallist in 1926. He was President of the Society from 1930 to 1935. Such are the bare facts, and though we are proud of his intimate association with the Royal Society, we do not now think of a Lecturer, a Medallist, or even of a President. Our memory dwells rather on the lovable qualities and magnanimous spirit of a devoted teacher and leader, and on the influence of his generous help to others as well as of his personal achievements during almost seventy years of scientific life. He was early imbued with the conviction that the chemistry of the living cell was his subject, that it was not only of transcendent importance, but also that it was ripe for development. He dedicated himself to the quest and embarked with enthusiasm on a pioneering voyage of discovery. The outcome of his courage and industry was the foundation of a new scientific discipline, if not of a new science. He was the father of modern schools of biochemistry and was the greatest biochemist of his generation.

scholarly journals Meynert and the basal nucleus

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 435-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eliasz Engelhardt
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
19Th Century ◽  
Basal Ganglion ◽  
Basal Nucleus ◽  
Cell Composition ◽  
Substantia Innominata ◽  
The 19Th Century ◽  
Considerable Body ◽  
The Brain

ABSTRACT Meynert described the "loop of the peduncular foot" (Schlinge des Hirnschenkelfusses), and its ganglion (Ganglion der Hirnschenkelschlinge) and related them to Reil's Substantia innominata and Gratiolet's Ansa peduncularis, from which he apparently built up his findings. Koelliker renamed the ganglion with the eponymous designation Meynert'sches Basalganglion (Meynert's basal ganglion), a name which endures to the present day, and described its topographical spread in relation to neighboring structures. Meynert and Koelliker also described aspects of cell composition of the ganglion (or nucleus) with a better account of the latter. Both, together with Reil and Gratiolet, were the outstanding personalities of the 19th century who performed the pioneering studies on basal formations of the forebrain. After these works, a considerable body of research appeared in the 20th century, with a focus on Meynert's basal nucleus and related structures. The development of further knowledge about these structures revealed their great importance in the activity of the brain, as evidenced in both normal and pathological states.

Where is disciplinarity going? Meeting on the borderland

2011 ◽  
Vol 50 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 582-606 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Marcovich ◽  
Terry Shinn
Keyword(s):  
19Th Century ◽  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
Scientific Discipline ◽  
Cognitive Structures ◽  
Spawning Ground ◽  
University System ◽  
The 19Th Century

This article analyzes the cognitive structures and dynamics of a form of scientific discipline that differs importantly both from the disciplinary format of the 19th-century university system, and from the profile proposed by much postmodern interdisciplinary (anti-disciplinary) discussion. This recent form of discipline, here termed the ‘new disciplinarity’, is a product of the increasing complexity of scientific knowledge and activity. The approach privileges cognition. It emphasizes the concepts of disciplinary referent, robust boundaries, ‘borderland’, combinatorials and projects. It suggests that the new disciplinarity is highly elastic and that it is a spawning-ground for new disciplines.

scholarly journals Sex-Change Chemicals and their Influence on the Brain

2001 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 681-683 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine A. Harris
Keyword(s):  
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals ◽  
Reproductive Disorders ◽  
Developmental Abnormalities ◽  
Scientific World ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting ◽  
Causative Agents ◽  
Wide Variability ◽  
Wildlife Populations ◽  
Natural Hormones ◽  
The Brain

The potential for man-made chemicals to mimic or antagonise natural hormones is a controversial issue, but one for which increasing amounts of evidence are being gathered worldwide. The controversy surrounds not so much the matter of whether these chemicals can mimic hormones invitro— this phenomenon has been widely accepted in the scientific world — but more whether, as a result, they can disrupt reproduction in a wildlife situation. It has, nevertheless, been acknowledged that many wildlife populations are exhibiting reproductive and/or developmental abnormalities such as intersex gonads in wild roach populations in the U.K.[1] and various reproductive disorders in alligators in Lake Apopka, Florida[2]. However, the causative agents for many of these effects are difficult to specify, due to the extensive mixtures of chemicals — each of which may act via different pathways — to which wild populations are exposed, together with the wide variability observed even in natural (uncontaminated) habitats. As a result, any information detailing fundamental mechanism of action of the so-called endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is of use in determining whether or not these chemicals, as they are present in the environment, may in fact be capable of causing some of the effects observed in wildlife over recent years.

Leonhard Euler and the Theory of Ships

2008 ◽  
Vol 52 (04) ◽  
pp. 274-290
Author(s):  
Horst Nowacki
Keyword(s):  
18Th Century ◽  
Scientific Discipline ◽  
Scientific Development ◽  
Modern Theory ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Scientific World ◽  
Leonhard Euler ◽  
The Rich ◽  
First Time

On April 15, 2007, the scientific world commemorated Leonhard Euler's 300th birthday. Euler's eminent work has become famous in many fields: mathematics, mechanics, optics, acoustics, astronomy, and geodesy, even in the theory of music. This article will recall his no less distinguished contributions to the founding of the modern theory of ships. These are not so widely known to the general professional public. In laying these foundations in ship theory, as in other fields, Euler was seeking "first principles, generality, order and above all clarity." This article will highlight those achievements for which we owe him our gratitude. There is no doubt that Leonhard Euler was one of the founders of the modern theory of ships. He raised many fundamental questions for the first time and through all phases of his professional lifetime devoted himself to subjects of ship theory. Thereby he gave a unique profile to this still nascent scientific discipline. Many of his approaches have been of lasting, incisive influence on the structure of this field. Some of his ideas have become so much a matter of routine today that we have forgotten their descent from Euler. This article will synoptically review Euler's contributions to the foundation of this discipline, will correlate them with the stages of Euler's own scientific development, embedded in the rich environment of scientific enlightenment in the 18th century, and will appreciate the value of his lasting aftereffects until today. The same example will serve to recognize the fertile field of tension always existing between Euler's fundamental orientation and his desire to make contributions to practical applications, which has remained characteristic of ship theory to the present day. Without claiming completeness in detail, this article aims at giving a coherent overview of Euler's approaches and objectives in this discipline. This synopsis will be presented primarily from the viewpoint of engineering science in its current stage of development.

scholarly journals The Microbiome: Evolutionary Perspective and Symbiogenesis

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfonso Enrique Islas-Rodríguez ◽  
Lorena Carballo-Lago
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Scientific Discipline ◽  
In Vitro Cultivation ◽  
Main Function ◽  
Local Immunity ◽  
Reciprocal Interactions ◽  
Perception Of Health ◽  
The Brain ◽  
The Red Queen

AbstractThe main function of the Immune System (IS) in metazoans is to protect them against invading microorganisms, which are considered from this perspective as competitors that reduce the availability of resources, cause tissue damage and essentially threaten their adaptability. This relationship is seen as a low intensity perpetual armed war, related to the hypothesis of the “Red Queen”. This view suggests that the metazoans’ IS has evolved under a selective pressure imposed by microorganisms of the microbiota, that whether infectious or not, have co-evolved with the host’s IS in an evolutionary symbiogenesis, with reciprocal interactions that have developed local immunity. The microbiota changes with age and communicates with the brain. The above mentioned implies that we are witnessing the birth of a new scientific discipline that could be termed microbial anthropology, and several perspectives that includes the change of our perception of health and established the fundamentals for the use of microorganisms as therapeutic agents. In order for these therapies to succeed considerable information must be available about our microbiota, such as changes during pregnancy, the effects of antibiotic use, new methods for in vitro cultivation and the host-commensal dynamics.

Charles Bell (1774–1842) and Natural Theology

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 75-82
Author(s):  
Sean Hughes ◽  
Christopher Gardner-Thorpe
Keyword(s):  
19Th Century ◽  
Human Body ◽  
18Th Century ◽  
Natural Theology ◽  
Religious Practice ◽  
Direct Influence ◽  
The World ◽  
William Paley

Sir Charles Bell, a 19th century surgeon, anatomist and artist, was heavily influenced by the religious practice of Natural Theology, a belief which implied that the world is created by an Intelligent Designer. In the 18th century, William Paley, later Rector of Bishop Wearmouth, wrote the seminal book about Natural Theology. Charles Bell who practised in London and Edinburgh used his artistic skills to underline his teaching of anatomy and surgery. Later, Bell wrote one of the eight Bridgewater Treatises on the Hand. Bell went on to illustrate the final edition of Paley’s Natural Theology in which he demonstrated that proof of Design were to be found in the animal frame, reflecting his earlier work on art and human structure. It is concluded that Charles Bell and William Paley’s ideals were in harmony with each other, holding the same belief about Creation. This paper argues that Bell’s understanding and devotion to Natural Theology allowed him to accurately explain function, realism and expression in the human body, all revealing the direct influence of the Divine Creator.

Illustrating a revolution: an unrecognized contribution to the ‘golden era’ of cerebral localization

1998 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 283-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Millett
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
19Th Century ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Clinical Neurology ◽  
Late 19Th Century ◽  
Growth Of Knowledge ◽  
History Of ◽  
Cerebral Localization ◽  
Cerebral Physiology ◽  
The Brain

The late 19th century witnessed a remarkable growth of knowledge concerning the functions of the brain. The excitability of the cerebral cortex was first reported by Gustav Fritsch (1838–1927) and Eduard Hitzig (1838–1907) in 1870, followed by the classical investigation of cerebral localization by David Ferrier (1843–1928). Ferrier's identification of cerebral motor 'centres' based on a series of cortical stimulations and ablations was central to the physiological and clinical achievements of cerebral localization in the late 19th century. Cerebral illustrations were an important component of Ferrier's physiological research, synthesizing a great deal of experimental data and suggesting precise locations and boundaries of sensory and motor areas. Surprisingly, little attention has been paid to the construction of cerebral maps and their role in establishing the utility and veracity of the doctrine of cerebral localization. Two illustrations of the macaque brain based on Ferrier's experimental work were particularly influential. These and other important illustrations accompanied Ferrier's manuscript, 'The localisation of functions in the brain', submitted to the Royal Society in early 1874, but were not produced by Ferrier himself. Rather, they were sketched by E. A. Waterlow (1850–1919), a young painter and acquaintance of Ferrier's who—undoubtedly under Ferrier's guidance—synthesized the experimental data of more than a dozen experiments in these diagrams. Unfortunately, during the contentious review, abstraction and fragmentation of Ferrier's manuscript, Waterlow's monogrammed insignia was omitted from reproductions of his sketches and Ferrier's acknowledgement to him was not published in subsequent works. While circumstantial evidence suggests that Waterlow may have requested that these identifiers be withheld, and while Waterlow has never been recognized for his illustrations of cerebral localization, both the artist and his sketches soon achieved prominence. Waterlow's diagrams were reproduced in Ferrier's widely influential monograph, The Functions of the Brain (1876), where the cerebral centres of Waterlow's macaque brain were directly transposed onto Ecker's diagram of the human brain. These diagrams were reprinted during the late 1870s and 1880s in many textbooks and reviews of cerebral physiology, and provided an important guide to the localization of brain lesions during the early years of neurosurgery. This paper recounts Waterlow's contribution to the history of clinical neurology and physiology, and his independent success as a landscape painter.

In Search of a Legal Conscience: Juridical Reformism in the Mid-19th Century Peace Movement

2019 ◽  
Vol 80 ◽  
pp. 355-374
Author(s):  
Wouter De Rycke
Keyword(s):  
International Law ◽  
19Th Century ◽  
Scientific Discipline ◽  
Peace Movement ◽  
European Cities ◽  
Law Of Nations ◽  
Droit International ◽  
International Adjudication ◽  
Civilized World ◽  
Legal Processes

The rise of modern international law as an autonomous scientific discipline in the early 1870s can be considered the culmination of multiple legal and extra-legal processes which trace their origins back to much earlier in the century. Several decades before the founders of the Institut de Droit International declared themselves the “legal conscience of the civilized world”, other societal groups had already expressed profound disaffection with the existing law of nations, which they viewed as inherently insufficient to guarantee lasting stability amongst civilized states. The conferences of the “Friends of Peace”, held between 1843 and 1851 in several European cities, featured many jurists who routinely employed legal modes of reasoning to communicate and advance legalistic objectives such as mandatory international adjudication and the codification of international law.

Sir Victor Horsley's 19th century operations at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square

2011 ◽  
Vol 114 (2) ◽  
pp. 534-542 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Uff ◽  
Daniel Frith ◽  
Catriona Harrison ◽  
Michael Powell ◽  
Neil Kitchen
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
19Th Century ◽  
Outcome Data ◽  
Brain Surgery ◽  
Patient Records ◽  
National Hospital ◽  
Cerebral Tumor ◽  
The Brain

Although he was not the first man to operate on the brain, Sir Victor Horsley was the world's first surgeon appointed to a hospital post to perform brain surgery, which happened in 1886 at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London. The authors examined the patient records between 1886 and 1899 and found 151 operations performed by Sir Victor Horsley at the National Hospital, including craniotomies, laminectomies, and nerve divisions. The authors present the outcome data and case illustrations of cerebral tumor resections and laminectomies from the nineteenth century. Outcomes and notable pioneering achievements are highlighted.

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