Untersuchungen über thierische Elektricität
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Emil Heinrich Du Bois-Reymond's Untersuchungen über thierische Elektricität (1848–1884) is a foundational work in the field of electrophysiology. This multi-volume study explored electrical phenomena in living organisms, a concept known as bioelectricity. Du Bois-Reymond investigated the electrical activity of nerve and muscle fibers, proposing that nerve impulses travel as a "wave of relative negativity". He demonstrated that this "negative variation" is the primary cause of muscle contraction. While later research refined his models, his work established the scientific study of animal electricity and its role in physiological processes.123
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