ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Duchenne de Boulogne is known mainly by the disease eponymously named "Duchenne muscular dystrophy", or pseudohypertrophic muscular dystrophy, although some experts consider that the original description of this disease does not belong to him. Less well known are the facts related to the tragic death of his beloved wife shortly after the birth of his only child, the unjustifiable distance he was forced to keep from this son for more than 30 years, and of being humiliated and professionally despised by his peers. These events made the life of this physician, physiologist, researcher and inventor extremely arduous. We emphasize some aspects of the history of this man, his work and his life, a true genius of few friends.
RESUMO Duchenne de Boulogne é conhecido por muitos principalmente devido à doença que leva seu nome - doença de Duchenne ou Distrofia Muscular Pseudo-hipertrófica - embora alguns historiadores considerem que a descrição original desta doença não lhe pertence. Menos conhecidos são os fatos relacionados à morte trágica de sua amada esposa logo após o nascimento de seu filho, o afastamento injusto que foi forçado a manter deste filho único por mais de 30 anos, e ser humilhado e profissionalmente desprezado por seus pares da comunidade neurológica, que em conjunto tornaram a vida desse médico, fisiologista, pesquisador e inventor, extremamente árdua. Enfatizamos alguns aspectos da história deste homem, seu trabalho e ocaso, protótipo de um verdadeiro gênio de poucos amigos.
Subject(s)
History, 19th Century , Electrophysiology/history , Neurology/history , Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne/history , FranceABSTRACT
Se presenta un breve bosquejo histórico de la evolución de la electrología a partir del siglo XVIII. Se discute el tema de la llamada electricidad animal, desde las observaciones sobre las descargas del pez Torpedo hasta las investigaciones del catedrático boloñés Luigi Galvani y de sus discípulos. Sus opositores, encabezados por el físico Alessandro Volta, catedrático en la Universidad de Pavía, opinaban que la electricidad detectada por los galvanistas no era inherente al propio animal, sino debida a la acción de los conductores metálicos empleados para formar el circuito: electricidad de contacto. Sólo a mediados del siglo XIX, el físico Carlo Matteucci logró demostrar la existencia de una verdadera electricidad animal en la forma de corriente de lesión. Se logró cuantificarla gracias a la obtención de un electrómetro satisfactorio construido en 1872 por el físico francés Gabriel Lippmann. Este instrumento fue empleado por el fisiólogo inglés Waller para registrar en humanos los ancestros de los trazos electrocardiográficos (1887). A principios del siglo XX, el holandés Willem Einthoven presentó su galvanómetro de cuerda, que abrió el paso a la electrocardiografía actual. Se logró así registrar los potenciales eléctricos de células miocárdicas primero in vitro, más tarde en corazón canino aislado y perfundido, poco después en corazón in situ y, en fin, en corazón humano. Esto permitió efectuar los actuales mapeos endocárdicos y epicárdicos, indispensables para el diagnóstico y el tratamiento de las arritmias cardiacas.
A historical outline of the evolution of electrophysiology from the eighteenth century is shortly presented. Topics concerning the so called animal electricity starting from the observations on descharges of Torpedo fish until Bolognese Galvani's researches on the frogs are exposed. The points of view of their oppositionists also are examined. These ones, leaded by the physicist Alessandro Volta, professor in the University of Pavia, believed that electricity detected by galvanists was not inherent to animal but was due to the action of the metallic conductors present in the circuit: contact electricity. Only towards the middle of the nineteenth century the physicist Carlo Matteucci attained to demonstrate the existence of the real animal electricity in form of injury current. It was possible to determine that quantitatively thanks to the capillary electrometer built in 1872 by the French physicist Gabriel Lippmann. This instrument was used by the English physiologist Waller in order to obtain the primitive electrocardiographic tracings in humans (1887). At beginnings of the twentieth century, the Dutch professor Willem Einthoven, of the University of Leiden, introduced his string galvanometer which permitted to allow the modern electrocardiography. So it was possible to record the electrical potentials of myocardial cells, first in vitro, later in isolated and perfused heart, son after in dog's heart in situ and finally in human heart. Therefore now it is possible to effectuate endocardial and epicardial mappings, indispensable in order to diagnose and treat the cardiac arrhythmias.
Subject(s)
History, 18th Century , History, 19th Century , History, 20th Century , Electrophysiology/history , Research/historyABSTRACT
Understanding of cardiac rhythm requires application of physical principles governing electricity. Over a period of more than 100 years, application of the knowledge of electric current led to the gradual evolution of electrocardiogram, pacemaker, defibrillator, and ultimately electrophysiology. The discovery of electrocardiogram (ECG) by Einthoven in 1902 and that of pacing by Zoll in 1952 were two landmarks in this field.
Subject(s)
Animals , Cardiac Pacing, Artificial/history , Electric Countershock/history , Electrocardiography/history , Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac/history , Electrophysiology/history , History, 19th Century , History, 20th Century , HumansSubject(s)
Humans , Nerve Block/methods , Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation/methods , Electric Stimulation/instrumentation , Electric Stimulation/methods , Peripheral Nerves/physiology , Anesthesia, Conduction , Electric Conductivity/therapeutic use , Electric Impedance , Electrodes , Electrophysiology/history , Electrophysiology/methodsABSTRACT
Se presenta un breve bosquejo histórico de la evolución de la electrología en el siglo XVIII. Se hace énfasis en el tema de la llamada electricidad animal, cuyo estudio se sistematizó gracias a las investigaciones del catedrático boloñés Luigi Galvani. En 1791 Galvani, sometió una evidencia experimental a la consideración de los sabios de aquella época. Galvani y sus seguidores creían que los fenómenos eléctricos observados por ellos en la rana, se debían a una lectricidad inherente al propio animal (electricidad animal). Sus opositores, como el físico Alessandro Volta, los atribuían a la acción de los conductores metálicos empleados (electricidad de contacto). Pero los dos grupos se equivocaban en admitir un solo tipo de electricidad; existen ambas. Cabe destacar que las investigaciones de Galvani estimularon las labores de Volta, quien logró la construcción de la pila eléctrica. Además, abrieron el inmenso y rico campo de la electrofisiología