Historical Beginnings of Endocrinology - Foundation of Endocrinology

FOUNDATIONS OF ENDOCRINOLOGY

Historical Beginings

Many observations are cited as the beginning of endocrinology. The effects of castration on growth, bodily conformation and behaviour of domestic animals have been known for centuries. Aristotle (284-322B.C) described with great accuracy the effects of castration in men and birds. Ruysch described around 1690 that organs such as thyroid produced important substances which entered the blood stream. Scientific knowledge of hormones really dates from the 19th century, A.A. Berthold, in 1849, showed the comb growth by castration and transplantation of the testes in a capon, It was Thomas Addison who in 1855 described a strange fatal disease (now called Addison's disease after his name in which the victim becomes progressively weaker and more emaciated until death ensues. The disease is associated with the deterioration of adrenal cortex. This is the first accurate account of a disease associated with an endocrine disorder. Claude Bernard in 1855 coined the word internal secretion.

In 1889, Brown Sequard, aFrench physiologist, injected himself with testicular extracts of the dog and claimed that the injections were beneficial and rejuvenating. He performed the endocrine therapy at the age of 72 to improve the sexual capacity.

Certainly the discovery of JF Von Mering and Oscar Minkows in 1889 that dogs from whom the injections were beneficial and rejuvenating. He performed the endocrine therapy at the age of 72 to improve the sexual capacity.

Certainly the discovery of JF Von Mering and Oscar Minkowski in 1889 that dogs from whom the is removed develop is an important landmark in the history of endocrinology.

The first clear and convincing proof that a substance secreted by the cells of one organ could be carried by the blood streamand produce a specific effect on a distant target organ was provided by the work of Bayliss and Starling in 1902.The name hormone was coined by them. The secret in was first one to be recognised by a name and its credit goes to them.