ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï

ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï.CA / Maude Abbott Medical Museum / Exhibits / Physiology Research Instruments: A 20th Century Sample from ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï / Physiology laboratory at ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï in 1880 and 1903

Osler’s Approach to Teaching Physiology

Line drawing of ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï physiology lab 1880

In 1876, William Osler became Professor of Institutes of Medicine (physiology, histology, pathology) at ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï. He soon developed a dedicated and fully equipped physiology laboratory. He believed in teaching physiology by experimenting, for example by having students use electro-physiological apparatus to observe action potentials in muscles and nerves. 

Osler was Chair of the ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï Physiology Department from 1875 to 1884.

For more information, see the list of Chairs of the ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï Department of Physiology 
Departmental Chairs 1872 to the present

From the  : [Vol. 9, no. 4; (Nov. 1880) p 198] Osler provides a list of equipment ordered for the new physiology lab established in the Medical Building, which opened on campus in 1872. 

  • Eleven microscopes (Hartnack), with usual microscopical accessories, camera, polariscope, &c.
  • Microtomes (Rutherford’s, Seiler’s and Schiefferdecker’s)
  • Warm stage, simple, of Stricker)
  • Warm stage, compound (Sanderson and Stricker)
  • Mesentery stage
  • Frog plate, for circulation in web of foot
  • Hæemacytometer (Gower’s)
  • Hemochrometer (Gower’s)
  • Hemochrometer (Quincke)
  • Haematimeter (Hoppe Seyler)
  • Spectroscope (Rhorbeck)
  • Spectroscope, simple, (Browning)
  • Cyon’s set of instruments, for use in physiological experiments
  • Czermak’s rabbit holder
  • Bernard’s head-holder
  • Foster’s muscle apparatus
  • Gastric canula
  • Ludwig’s artificial respiration apparatus
  • Ludwig’s apparatus for experiments on the cord. Sécateur of Moreau
  • Zuleitungsgefäss of DuBois-Reymond
  • Ludwig’ s clamp for arteries
  • Arterial and tracheal canulae
  • Ludwig’s kynograph, with manometer and and electro-manetic time and stimulation marker
  • Stromühr (Ludwig)
  • Sphygmograph (Gower’s)
  • Ludwig’s apparatus for prevention of formation of blood-clots in canulæ
  • Kronecker apparatus for experinents on the frog’s heart
  • Electrical batteries
  • Electrodes of various sorts
  • Rheochord
  • Induction apparatus
  • Key (of Du Bois)
  • Whippe (of Pohl)
  • Wiedmann’s spiegelbussole
  • Rhorbeck’s chemical balance
Back to top