Magnus, Rudolf

Magnus, Rudolf 

Born Sept. 2, 1873, in Braunschweig, Germany; died July 25, 1927, in Pontresina, Switzerland. Dutch physiologist and pharmacologist (of German origin).

Magnus graduated from the University of Heidelberg in 1898. In 1908 he became head of the pharmacology department and laboratory at the University of Utrecht (Netherlands). His work dealt with muscular and intestinal innervation and with the physiology of the skeletomotor reflexes. Developing the research of I. M. Sechenov on the inherent sensitivity of muscles (“dark muscle sense”), Magnus discovered and studied thoroughly the special group of postural, or righting, reflexes (the Magnus-de Kleijn tonic reflexes), which ensure the maintenance of body posture and balance. He also described several of the righting reflexes, as well as other reflexes that ensure normal stance and gait in animals.

WORKS

In Russian translation:
Ustanovka tela. Moscow-Leningrad, 1962.

REFERENCE

“Raboty R. Magnusa i ego laboratoriia v Utrekhte.” In A. F. Samoilov, Izbrannye stat’i i rechi. Moscow-Leningrad, 1946.