Karl Ewald Konstantin Hering (1834-1918), Heinrich Ewald Hering (1866-1948), and the namesake for the Hering-Breuer reflex.

Abstract

Medical eponyms are a component of the jargon employed by clinicians and scientists, and exploring the history behind such terms is an undertaking enjoyed by enthusiasts for the study of medical history. The Hering-Breuer reflex is mediated by the afferent fibers of the vagus nerve and consists of the inhibition of inspiration by inflation of the lungs and the inhibition of expiration by deflation of the lungs [18], which thereby limits respiratory excursions [9]. Multiple references incorrectly identify Heinrich Ewald Hering (1866–1948) as the man for whom the Hering-Breuer reflex is named, but this medical eponym actually refers to Heinrich Ewald Hering’s father, the physiologist Karl Ewald Konstantin Hering (1834– 1918). For the purpose of clarity, the authors refer to Karl Ewald Konstantin Hering as BHering Senior^ and Heinrich Ewald Hering as BHering Junior^ in this manuscript.