ABSTRACT
Despite the availability and utilization of the physiology textbooks authored by Albrecht von Haller during the 18th century that heralded the modern age of physiology, not all physicians or physiologists were satisfied with its presentation, contents, or application to medicine. Initial reasons were fundamental disagreements between the "mechanists," represented by Boerhaave, Robinson, and von Haller, and the "vitalists," represented by the faculty and graduates of the Montpellier School of Medicine in France, notably, Bordeu and Barthez. Subsequently, objections originated from Europe, United Kingdom, and the United States in publications that focused not only on the teaching of physiology to medical and secondary students, but on the specific applications of the content of physiology to medicine, health, hygiene, pathology, and chronic diseases. At the turn of the 20th century, texts began to appear with applied physiology in their titles and in 1926, physician Samson Wright published a textbook entitled Applied Physiology that was intended for both medical students and the medical profession. Eleven years later, physicians Best and Taylor published The Physiological Basis of Medical Practice: A University of Toronto Texbook in Applied Physiology Although both sets of authors defined the connection between applied physiology and physiology, they failed to define the areas of physiology that were included within applied physiology. This was accomplished by the American Physiological Society (APS) Publications Committee in 1948 with the publication of the Journal of Appplied Physiology, that stated the word "applied" would broadly denote human physiology whereas the terms stress and environment would broadly include work, exercise, plus industrial, climatic and social factors. NIH established a study section (SS) devoted to applied physiology in 1964 which remained active until 2001 when it became amalgamated into other SSs. Before the end of the 20th century when departments were changing their titles to reflect a stronger science orientation, many established laboratories and offered degree programs devoted to Applied Physiology. We concluded that Applied Physiology has been an important contributor to the discipline of physiology while becoming an integral component of APS.
Subject(s)
Biology/history , Philosophy, Medical/history , Physiology/history , Textbooks as Topic/history , Animals , History, 15th Century , History, 16th Century , History, 17th Century , History, 18th Century , History, 19th Century , History, 20th Century , History, Medieval , Humans , InternationalityABSTRACT
This paper is a part of a general research project on the role that chemistry played in the transition of materia medica to experimental pharmacology during 19th century Spain. Within this general framework, the paper deals with the main characteristics of Spanish textbooks aimed at pharmaceutical and medical students. In a former study, published in this journal, we outlined the institutional context in which these books were read, written and published. Some of these issues are developed in the present paper through analysis of the "Curso de química" written by Pedro Gutiérrez Bueno. New light is shed on the public for chemistry during the late XVIII century Spain and their role in shaping the contents and organisation of chemistry textbooks.
Subject(s)
Chemistry/history , Community Participation/history , Materia Medica/history , Pharmacology/history , Textbooks as Topic/history , History, 18th Century , History, 19th Century , SpainABSTRACT
After call again the formation of apothecaries in XVIIth and XVIIIth centuries, under the corporation regimen, it is developed the theorical education of chemistry and pharmacognosy, in Paris and Province. Indispensable complement, the most important books of chemistry, pharmacognosy and pharmacy are exposed.
Subject(s)
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical/history , Education, Pharmacy/history , Materia Medica/history , Textbooks as Topic/history , France , History, 17th Century , History, 18th CenturyABSTRACT
This paper examines Georg Ernst Stahl's first book, the Zymotechnia Fundamentalis, in the context of contemporary natural philosophy and the author's career. I argue that the Zymotechnia was a mechanical theory of fermentation written consciously against the influential "fermentational program" of Joan Baptista van Helmont and especially Thomas Willis, Stahl's theory of fermentation introduced his first conception of phlogiston, which was in part a corpuscular transformation of the Paracelsian sulphur principle. Meanwhile some assumptions underlying this theory, such as the composition of matter, the absolute passivity of matter and the "passions" of sulphur, reveal the combined scholastic and mechanistic character of Stahl's natural philosophy. In the conclusion I show that Stahl's theory of fermentation undermined the old fermentational program and paved the way for his dualist vitalism.
Subject(s)
Chemistry/history , Fermentation , Physics/history , Textbooks as Topic/history , Germany , History, 17th CenturyABSTRACT
The Organon of Medicine is the seminal text of Homeopathy. However, its grammar and structure make it obtuse and remote to both new students and veterans. We propose a demarcation of the Organon into sections, exposing the didactic structure of the Organon, and display this demarcation in concise graphic form. It is hoped that this representation will improve accessibility and understanding of the Organon for readers at all levels.