Summary
This eighth volume of Charles Richet's *Dictionnaire de physiologie*, published in 1909, is a comprehensive reference work covering physiological topics alphabetically from G to H. The dictionary systematically organizes the field of physiology into major sections including the circulatory system (heart, arteries, veins, lymphatic system), nervous system (central, peripheral, sympathetic), sensory organs (tactile, gustatory, olfactory, auditory, visual), digestive system, respiratory system, internal secretion glands (thyroid, thymus, spleen, adrenal capsules, pituitary), and the urogenital system. Each entry draws on experimental research from a wide network of European physiologists, with extensive citations to primary literature from journals such as *Archives de Physiologie* and *Archiv für die gesammte Physiologie*.
The work reflects the state of physiological science at the turn of the century, incorporating detailed experimental findings on topics like the innervation of lymphatic vessels, the hydrostatic functions of the swim bladder, the secretion of aqueous humor, and the effects of heat on striated and smooth muscles (thermotonométrie). A reader gains insight into how physiology was organized as a discipline, with entries that blend zoological classification, experimental methodology, and clinical applications, including sections on teratology, parasitology, and…
Key concepts
- Thermotonométrie — A method for measuring the influence of heat on striated and smooth muscles.
- Innervation motrice de la vessie — The motor innervation of the bladder, studied experimentally by Courtade and Guyon.
- Fonctions hydrostatiques de la vessie natatoire — The hydrostatic functions of the swim bladder in fish, experimentally investigated by Charbonnel-Salle.
- Sécrétion de l'humeur aqueuse — The secretion of aqueous humor in the eye, studied in relation to blood pressure and nerve stimulation.
- Myographe dynamométrique — A device for recording muscle contractions with force measurement, used in physiological research.
- Rachigraphie — A new anthropometric instrument developed by Demeny for measuring the curvature of the spine.
From the book
§ III. — Pléthysmographie de la cage thoracique.L'entrée et la sortie de l'air des poumons provoquent des variations de volume de
§ IV. — Variations de pression dans la cage thoracique.On peut enregistrer les variations de la pression de l'air soit dans les voies respira-
chée, à l'aide d'une muselière bien appliquée sur le nez et la bouche de l'animal.On peut aussi enregistrer, comme Marey (1865), Bert et Hering, à l'aide du mano-
Popular questions readers ask
- Imagine you are explaining the function of a myograph to someone with no scientific background. How would you simplify the text's description of its essential parts and their roles to clearly convey *how* it records muscle contraction?
- The text mentions "Myographes isotoniques" and "Myographes isométriques" without defining them. Based on the general description of a myograph, what fundamental difference might exist between these two types, and what distinct aspects of muscle contraction might each be designed to measure?
- What does the detailed description of the myograph, in a dictionary published in 1909, reveal about the state of physiological research technology and methodology at the turn of the 20th century?
- How might the extensive international collaboration evident on the title page influence the authority, scope, and even the accepted definitions (like that of a myograph) presented in a "Dictionnaire de physiologie" from this era?
- If you were trying to understand the core principle of a myograph, what key information beyond the device's components would you need to grasp from this excerpt to truly understand *how* a 'myogram' (tracing) is generated and interpreted?