Elektrofizyolojinin Tarihsel Serüveni: Galvani Sonrası Galvanizm

Abstract

Elektrofizyolojinin tarihsel sürecini konu aldığımız bu çalışmada Galvani sonrası erken dönem değerlendirilmiştir. Galvani’nin deneylerini onun ölümünden sonra da tekrarlayan Alessandro Volta, çalışmalarını “volta pili” olarak bilinen “sürekli akım kaynağı” buluşu ile taçlandırmıştır. Volta pili, Galvani’nin “canlı elektriği” teorisinde tanımladığı doğal elektrik organını taklit edercesine, aralarında tuzlu suyla ıslatılmış mukavva katmanların bulunduğu iki farklı metalin üst üste diziliminden oluşuyordu. Galvani’nin ölümünden sonra yeğeni, fizikçi Giovanni Aldini, “yeniden canlandırma” deneyleriyle “canlı elektriği” teorisine farklı bir tartışma boyutu kazandırdı. Dayısının aksine Volta’ya daha yakın olan Aldini, reanimasyon deneylerinde Volta pili kullanarak, sonradan “galvanizm” olarak anılan teoriyi tanıtma ve yaygınlaştırma çabasında bulundu. Aldini’nin bu çabaları, “galvanik tedavi” adı altında birçok çalışmayı da tetiklemiş oldu. Faraday’ın “manyetik indüksiyon” kavramı önermesi ve “manyetik bobin” geliştirmesi sonrasında Duchenne de Boulogne, galvanik ve alternatif akımın farklı biyolojik etkilerini ortaya koyarak birçok yanlış uygulamanın yaygınlaşmasını engellemiş olacaktı. Bunun yanı sıra, Galvani’nin önermeleri ve Aldini’nin provokatif çalışmaları, Mary Shelley’nin “Frankenstein” adlı romanında olduğu gibi birçok bilim kurgu eser için de ilham kaynağı olmuştur.
Galvani’den sonra canlı elektriği ile ilgili dönemin en önemli buluşunu Carlo Matteucci yapacaktı. Matteucci, torpil (torpedo) balığının beyin sapındaki “elektrik lob” adı verilen özel bir yapının elektrik deşarjlarını kontrol ettiğini gösterdi. Daha sonra Matteucci, “biyolojik pil“ kavramını bilim dünyasına kazandırarak “elektrik deşarj” ve “aksiyon akımı” önermelerinde de bulunacaktır. Takip eden dönemlerde elektromotor kuvvet birimi olarak “Volt” seçimi, “galvanizm”, “galvanik akım” ve “galvanometre” kavramları ile, Volta ve Galvani bilim camiası tarafından onurlandırılmıştır.

Keywords

• Canlı Elektriği
• Elektrofizyoloji
• Galvanizim
• Luigi Galvani
• Alessandro Volta

Historical Perspective on Early Electrophysiology: Galvanism After Galvani

Abstract

This study reviews the electrophysiological developments right after Galvani form the historical perspective. Volta, repeating the Galvani's experiments, would lead the invention of battery. The first battery consisted of two different metals placed on top of each other, with layers of cardboard soaked in salty water in between, mimicking the natural electric organ that Galvani described earlier. After the death of Galvani, his nephew, physicist Giovanni Aldini, has brought different dimension of discussion to Galvani’s "animal electricity" theory with his provocative "reanimation" experiments. He used voltaic pile in his demonstrations of “galvanism”. Aldini’s efforts triggered so many medical applications under "galvanic therapy". Thanks to Faraday's proposal of the concept of "magnetic induction" and his invention of "magnetic coil", Duchenne worked with both galvanic and alternating currents for the treatment of certain neuropathic diseases, thus preventing the fantastic misuse of electric current on patients. Galvani's theory and the experiments, specifically Aldini’s demonstrations had also been the source of inspiration for many works of science fiction, such as Mary Shelley's novel "Frankenstein".
After Galvani, Carlo Matteucci would make the most important invention regarding the animal electricity. Matteucci showed a special structure in the torpedo's brain stem, called as "electric lobe" which controls the activity of electric organ. Later, Matteucci would introduce the concept of "biological pile" and make suggestion of phenomenon "electric discharge" and "action current". The history of science honored Volta by using his name as the unit of electromotive force and Galvani by using the terms “galvanism”, “galvanic current” “galvanometer”.

Keywords

• Animal Electricity
• Electrophysiology
• Galvanism
• Luigi Galvani
• Alessandro Volta

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