The electrophysiological work of Carlo Matteucci

Abstract

In 1964, Giuseppe Moruzzi (1910–1986), a prominent neurophysiologist of worldwide fame with a scholarly interest in the history of science, published an extensive and insightful analysis of the work and personality of Carlo Matteucci, a 19th century Professor of Physics at the University of Pisa who had worked on “animal electricity” in the great tradition of Galvani. By discovering fundamental phenomena such as the demarcation potential and action current in muscle and nerve, Matteucci paved the way for the development of modern electrophysiology. Being written in Italian and having appeared in a not easily available journal of history of science, Moruzzi's essay has been lost to most members of the international neuroscience community. An English translation of it is published here with two aims: first, to make known to a large audience of neuroscientists a fascinating account of the origins of electrophysiology as seen through a perceptive interpretation of the successes and failures of a brilliant scientist and passionate man; and second, to pay tribute to the memory of Giuseppe Moruzzi and his everlasting contributions to learning and science on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of his death.