Frank W. Stahnisch
Medicine, Life and Function
Experimental Strategies and Medical Modernity at the Intersection of Pathology and Physiology
Aspekte der Medizinphilosophie, Band 11
2012; 251 Seiten; Sprache: Englisch
ISSN 1610-1693
ISBN 978-3-89733-257-7

This book brings together a number of thoughts and observations on the history of experimental physiology, as it has emerged since the late eighteenth century. Previously unused archival material and then unexplored themes are brought together and further investigated for the first time. These have helped to map the contextual changes which became indicators and sign posts to some major research steps and important modifications in the development of experimental physiology as a discipline - from the brink of its inception during the late 18th century, its steep emergence throughout the middle of the 19th century as well as the dissolution and externalization of various physiological sub-disciplines in the beginning of the 20th century; representing not only experimental physiology´s medical success but also its relative demise which was ironically due to the successful birth of many of its daughter disciplines, such as biochemistry (first: as "physiological chemistry"), immunology, genetics and microbiology, etc.
Furthermore, this book contains historical material, ideas and discussions relating to a number of presentations by the author at academic societies and fruitful communication with many groups of students - medical, history, philosophy, media sciences, and biology etc. over the past ten years.