Magnus Blix
Encyclopedia
Magnus Gustaf Blix was a Swedish physiologist who was a professor at the universities of Uppsala and Lund.
Blix is best known for his work in the 1880s involving somatic
sensation. He discovered that electrical stimulation on different points on the surface of the skin caused distinct warm or cool sensations. Subsequently he built a temperature
stimulator which showed that a decreased skin temperature produced cool sensations from localized spots on separate skin locations. He also discovered that increased temperature induced warm sensations from different cutaneous locations. In addition he performed tests that involved localized tactile sensitivity.
In 1881-82 Blix published his findings in two important documents. During this time frame, German neurologist
Alfred Goldscheider
(1858-1935), and American physician Henry Herbert Donaldson (1857-1938) of Johns Hopkins University
were performing similar experiments, independent of Blix.
Blix also conducted extensive research concerning the physiology
of muscle
s.
Blix was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
in 1892.
He is the grandfather of UN weapons inspector Hans Blix
.
Blix is best known for his work in the 1880s involving somatic
Somatic
The term somatic means 'of the body',, relating to the body. In medicine, somatic illness is bodily, not mental, illness. The term is often used in biology to refer to the cells of the body in contrast to the germ line cells which usually give rise to the gametes...
sensation. He discovered that electrical stimulation on different points on the surface of the skin caused distinct warm or cool sensations. Subsequently he built a temperature
Temperature
Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
stimulator which showed that a decreased skin temperature produced cool sensations from localized spots on separate skin locations. He also discovered that increased temperature induced warm sensations from different cutaneous locations. In addition he performed tests that involved localized tactile sensitivity.
In 1881-82 Blix published his findings in two important documents. During this time frame, German neurologist
Neurologist
A neurologist is a physician who specializes in neurology, and is trained to investigate, or diagnose and treat neurological disorders.Neurology is the medical specialty related to the human nervous system. The nervous system encompasses the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. A specialist...
Alfred Goldscheider
Alfred Goldscheider
Johannes Karl Eugen Alfred Goldscheider was a German neurologist who was born in Sommerfeld ....
(1858-1935), and American physician Henry Herbert Donaldson (1857-1938) of Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
were performing similar experiments, independent of Blix.
Blix also conducted extensive research concerning the physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
of muscle
Muscle
Muscle is a contractile tissue of animals and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to...
s.
Blix was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. The Academy is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization which acts to promote the sciences, primarily the natural sciences and mathematics.The Academy was founded on 2...
in 1892.
He is the grandfather of UN weapons inspector Hans Blix
Hans Blix
is a Swedish diplomat and politician for the Liberal People's Party. He was Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs . Blix was also the head of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission from March 2000 to June 2003, when he was succeeded by Dimitris Perrikos...
.