On saline infusion, clonus, molecules and forgotten scientists: Who was Dr Julius Sander (1840-1909)?

Abstract

Zitterbewegungen des Fusses bei Dorsalflexion (shaking movements of the foot upon dorsal flexion) were observed independently from each other and described in the same issue of a German peer reviewed journal by Carl Westphal (1833-1890) at the Charité in Berlin and by Wilhelm Erb (1840-1921) in Heidelberg. While Westphal used the term Fussphaenomen, Erb is credited with coining the term clonus for the phenomenon. Both scientists are immortalized by various eponyms acknowledging their respective contributions to science. Little is known however about Julius Sander (1840-1909), in those days resident at Charité, who noticed the phenomenon and presented it to his superiors, Wilhelm Griesinger (1817 -1868) and Westphal. In addition to such observations, Sander made original contributions in resuscitation physiology while working with Hugo Kronecker (1839-1914). With Kronecker, Sander published observations on life saving transfusions with inorganic salt solutions in dogs "Bemerkung über lebensrettende Transfusion mit anorganischer Salzlösung bei Hunden" a very early work on isovolemic fluid resuscitation. The purpose of this communication is to highlight Sander's scientific contributions and to shed some light on his life, of which a German Lexicon stated that after 1870 no information on him can be ascertained anymore.