The History of the Refractory Period: A Neglected Contribution of Felice Fontana.
Year: 1942
Type: article
Abstract: One of the most universally recognized phenomena in physiology is the fact that the heart loses its capacity to respond to a stimulus at the onset of systole, and progressively recovers it later in the cycle. This interval of suspension of irritability is designated as the refractory period, and is classically divided into a primary interval of complete or absolute refractoriness and an ensuing period when the heart will indeed respond, but only to a stimulus of greater than normal intensity. This second phase is known as the relatively refractory period. Following the relatively refractory period the heart may for a short time be more than normally irritable; this constitutes the supernormal period. The phenomenon of refractoriness is not confined to the heart, but is found in a variety of muscular and nervous tissues. It forms the basis for understanding many features of the normal and pathological behavior of these tissues, and in particular furnishes the most attractive explanation for the rhythmic activity of various organs. Classically, Marey is credited with this important discovery. Earlier work by Bowditch, and by Kronecker and Stirling is occasionally recognized as contributing to Marey's discovery. Only rarely is it appreciated that Moritz Schiff knew of the refractory period, demonstrated it experimentally, and extended its theoretical applications in a manner strikingly modern. Before Schiff many physiologists wrote of it, precisely, if not extensively. None of these, however, can be credited with originating the philosophical concept or adducing the primary experimental proof, however great their contributions may have been. The evidence seems indisputable that the credit for originating the idea of a refractory period belongs to that remarkable Italian, the "vir illustrissimi " of Haller, the Abbe Felice Gaspar Ferdinand Fontana.(30) The history of the refractory period thus began with Fontana. Immediately following him came many physiologists who accepted his views or rejected them, but who failed to study the subject
Source: Europe PMC (PubMed Central)
Author: H E Hoff
Language: English
Subfield: History and Philosophy of Science
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W23276402