Abstract
ON Saturday, June 6, Hugo Kronecker, one of the first rank of living physiologists, died suddenly of apoplexy. Although he was seventy-five years of age, his intellect was as keen, his energy as great, and his unselfishness as unbounded as at any time in his life. This is saying much, for these characters had been his in no ordinary measure. His life's work consisted chiefly of investigations into the contractility of muscle, the movements of the heart, and the effect upon it of rarefied air. He discovered almost simultaneously with Marey the curious fact that during one period of its cycle the ventricle will not respond to stimuli. To this time Marey gave the name of refractory period. He found also that there is a point generally known as Kronecker's point in the heart, puncture of which causes the heart to stop at once and permanently. His investigations on the effect of rarefied air upon the circulation convinced him that the ascent even to considerable altitudes if unaccompanied by muscular strain is without danger, and on his report to this effect the building of the well-known Jungfrau Tunnel was begun and is now nearly completed.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
BRUNTON, L. Prof. Hugo Kronecker, for.Mem.R.S. . Nature 93, 410–411 (1914). https://doi.org/10.1038/093410a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/093410a0