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Charles Scott Sherrington
Born(1857-11-27)November 27, 1857
Islington, London, England
DiedMarch 4, 1952(1952-03-04) (aged 94)
Eastbourne, Sussex, England
NationalityEnglish
Alma materIpswich Grammar School
Royal College of Surgeons of England
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
AwardsNobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1932)
Scientific career
FieldsPhysiology
Pathology
Histology
Neurology
Bacteriology

Sir Charles Scott Sherrington (November 27, 1857 - March 4, 1952) is most commonly remembered as an English neurophysiologist of the late 19th century and, especially, of the first third of the 20th century. In the scientific fields, Sherrington may be labeled as a histologist, bacteriologist, and a pathologist. Sherrington is also known for his philosophical and poetic works.

In 1932, Sherrington was co-awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Edgar Adrian, 1st Baron Adrian. From 1920 through 1925, Sherrington served as president of the Royal Society.


Biography[edit]

Early years and education[edit]

Charles Scott Sherrington was born in Islington, London, England on November 27 1857. Sherrington's mother, Anne Brooks, was on a visit to Islington at the time. James Norton Sherrington, a county physician[1], was Charles' father. James hailed from Caister, Great Yarmouth in Norfolk county, England. The couple had two other sons, William and George. James died while Charles was still young.

Sherrington's mother re-married to Dr. Caleb Rose of Ipswich. Rose was to have a huge impact upon Sherrington. Rose was note-worthy as both a classical scholar and an archaeologist. At the family's Edgehill House [2] in Ipswich one could find a fine selection of paintings, books, and geological specimens[3]. By way of Rose's interest in the English artists of the Norwich School, Sherrington gained a love of art[4]. Intellectuals frequented the house regularly. It was this environment that fostered Sherrington's academic sense of wonder. Even before matriculation, the young Sherrington had read Johannes Müller's Elements of Physiology. The book was given to Sherrington by his step-father.

Sherrington entered Ipswich Grammar School in 1871[5]. Thomas Ashe, a famous English poet, worked at the school. Ashe served as an inspiration to Sherrington, the former instilling a love of classics and a desire to travel in the latter.

Rose had pushed Sherrington towards medicine. Sherrington first began to study with the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Sherrington also sought to study at Cambridge, but a bank failure had devastated the family's finances. Sherrington elected to enroll at St Thomas' Hospital in September 1876 as a "perpetual pupil[6]." He did so in order to allow his two younger brothers to do so ahead of him. The two studied law there. Medical studies at St. Thomas's Hospital were intertwined with studies at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge[7]. Physiology was Sherrington's chosen major at Cambridge. There, he studied under the "father of British physiology," Sir Michael Foster[8].

Sherrington was quite the athlete. Rugby was the sport of choice for Sherrington at St. Thomas's, rowing at Oxford[9]. Previously, for his grammar school, Sherrington played soccer. He also played for Ipswich Town Football Club. It was said of him that:

[t]hough Sherrington on all ordinary occasions was singularly gentle and courteous,
he suddenly became a devil incarnate when the ball began to move at rugger. When
the game was over he relapsed at once into his normal gentle, courteous self [10].

During June of 1875, Sherrington passed his preliminary examination in general education at the Royal College. This preliminary exam was required for Fellowship, and also exempted him from a similar exam for the Membership. In April 1878, he passed his Primary Examination for the Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons, and 12 months later the Primary for Fellowship.

In October 1879, Sherrington entered Cambridge as a non-collegiate student[11]. The following year he entered Gonville and Caius College. Sherrington was quite the student. Walter Holbrook Gaskell, one of Sherrington's tutors, informed him in November 1881 that he had earned the highest marks for his year in botany, human anatomy, and physiology; second in zoology; and highest overall[12]. John Newport Langley was Sherrington's other tutor. The two were interested in how anatomical structure is expressed in physiological function[13].

Sherrington earned his Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons on August 4, 1884. In 1885, he obtained a First Class in the National Science Tripos with the mark of distinction. In the same year, Sherrington earned the degree of M.B., Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from Cambridge. In 1886, Sherrington added the title of L.R.C.P.,Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians[14].

Seventh International Medical Congress[edit]

The conference was held in London in 1881. It was at this conference that Sherrington began his work in neurological research. At the conference controversy broke out. Friedrich Goltz of Strasbourg argued that localized function in the cortex did not exist. Goltz came to this conclusion after observing dogs who had parts of their brains removed. David Ferrier, who became a hero of Sherrington's, disagreed. Ferrier maintained that there was localization of function in the brain. Ferrier's strongest evidence was a monkey who suffered from hemiplegia, paralysis affecting one side of the body only, after a cerebral lesion.

A committee, including Langley, was made up to investigate. Both the dog and the monkey were chloroformed. The right hemisphere of the dog was delivered to Cambridge for examination. Sherrington performed a histological examination of the hemisphere, acting as a junior colleague to Langley. In 1884, Langley and Sherrington reported on their findings in a paper. The paper was the first for Sherrington[15].

Travel[edit]

In the Winter of 1884-1885, Sherrington left England for Strasbourg. There, he worked with Goltz. Goltz, like many others, positively influenced Sherrington. Sherrington later said of Goltz that: "[h]e taught one that in all things only the best is good enough[16]."

A case of asiatic cholera had broken out in Spain in 1885. A Spanish physician claimed to have produced a vaccine to fight the outbreak. Under the auspices of Cambridge University, the Royal Society of London, and the Association for Research in Medicine, a group was put together to travel to Spain to investigate. C.S. Roy, J. Graham Brown, and Sherrington formed the group. Roy was Sherrington's friend and the newly elected professor of pathology at Cambridge. As the three traveled to Toledo, Sherrington was skeptical of the Spanish physician[17]. Upon returning, the three presented a report to the Royal Society. The report discredited the Spaniard's claim.

It should be mentioned that Sherrington did not meet Santiago Ramón y Cajal on this trip. While Sherrington and his group remained in Toledo, Cajal was hundreds of miles away in Zaragoza[18].

Later that year Sherrington traveled to Rudolf Virchow in Berlin to inspect the cholera specimens he procured in Spain. Virchow later on sent Sherrington to Robert Koch for a six weeks' course in technique. Sherrington ended up staying with Koch for a year to do research in bacteriology. Under these two, Sherrington parted with a good foundation in physiology, morphology, histology, and pathology[19]. During this period he may have also studied with Waldeyer and Zuntz[20].

In 1886, Sherrington went to Italy to again investigate a cholera outbreak. While in Italy, Sherrington spent much time in art galleries. It was in this country that Sherrington's love for rare books became an addiction[21].

Employment[edit]

In 1891, Sherrington was appointed as superintendent of the Brown Institute for Advanced Physiological and Pathological Research of the University of London [22][23], a center for human and animal physiological and pathological research. Sherrington succeeded Sir Victor Alexander Haden Horsley[24]. There, Sherrington worked on segmental distribution of the spinal dorsal and ventral roots, he mapped the sensory dermatomes, and in 1892 discovered that muscle spindles initiated the stretch reflex. The institue allowed Sherrington to study many animals, both small and large. The Brown Institute had enough space to work with large primates such as apes[25].

Liverpool[edit]

Sherrington's first job of full-professorship came with his appointment as Holt Professor of Physiology at Liverpool in 1895, succeeding Francis Gotch[26]. With his appointment to the Holt Chair, Sherrington ended his active work in pathology[27]. Working on cats, dogs, monkeys, and apes that had been bereaved of their cerebral hemispheres, he found that reflexes must be considered integrated activities of the total organism, not just the result of activities of the so-called reflex-arcs, a concept then generally accepted[28]. There he continued his work on reflexes and reciprocal innervation. His papers on the subject were synthesized into the Croonian lecture of 1898[29].

Sherrington showed that muscle excitation was inversely proportional to the excitation of an opposing group of muscles. Speaking of the excitation-inhibition relationship, Sherrington said "desistence from action may be as truly active as is the taking of action." Sherrington continued his work on reciprocal innervation during his years at Liverpool. Come 1913, Sherrington was able to say that "the process of excitation and inhibition may be viewed as polar opposites [...] the one is able to neutralize the other." Sherrington's work on reciprocal innervation was a notable contribution to the knowledge of the spinal cord[30].

Oxford[edit]

As early as 1895, Sherrington had tried to gain employment at Oxford University. By 1913, the wait was over. Oxford offered Sherrington the Waynflete Chair of Physiology[31]. The electors to that chair unanimously recommended Sherrington without considering any other canidates[32]. Sherrington enjoyed the honor of teaching many bright students at Oxford. Over a handful of his students were Rhodes' scholars and three went on to be Nobel laureates. The three are Sir John Eccles, Ragnar Granit, and Howard Florey[33].

Sherrington's philosophy as a teacher can be seen in his response to the question of what was the real function of Oxford University in the world. Sherrington said:

"after some hundreds of years of experience we think that we have learned here in Oxford how
to teach what is known. But now with the undeniable upsurge of scientific research, we cannot
continue to rely on the mere fact that we have learned how to teach what is known. We must learn
to teach the best attitude to what is not yet known. This also may take centuries to acquire but we
cannot escape this new challenge, nor do we want to[34]."

Sherrington's teachings at Oxford were interrupted by World War I. When the war started, it left his classes with only nine students. During the war, Sherrington worked at a shell factory to both support the war and to study fatigue in general, but specifically industrial fatigue. There, he worked from 7:30 a.m. till 8:30 p.m. on weekdays and from 7:30 a.m. till 6:00 p.m. on the weekends[35].

It should also be noted that in March 1916, Sherrington fought for women to be able to be admitted to the medical school at Oxford.

Retirement[edit]

Charles Sherrington retired from Oxford in the year of 1936[36]. He then moved to his boyhood town of Ipswich, where he built a house[37]. There, he kept up a large correspondence with pupils and others from around the world . He also continued to work on his poetic, historical, and philosophical interests[38].

Sherrington's mental faculties were crystal clear up to the time of his death, which was caused by a sudden heart failure and ended his life instantly. His bodily health, however, did suffer in old age. Rheumatoid arthritis was a major burden of his[39]. Speaking of his condition, Sherrington said "old age isn't pleasant[,] one can't do things for oneself[40]." The arthritis put Sherrington in a nursing home as late as 1951[41].

The man and his personal life[edit]

On August 27, 1891, Sherrington married Ethel Mary Wright . Wright was the daughter of John Ely Wright of Preston Manor, Suffolk, England. Sherrington and Wright had one child, a son named Carr E.R. Sherrington who was born in 1897 [42]. Wright was both loyal and lively. She was a great host. On weekends during the Oxford years the couple would frequently host a large group of friends and acquaintances at their house for an enjoyable afternoon[43].
In personality, Sherrington was a joyous man. He will be remembered by close friends for his warmth of affection, his generosity of advice and time[44]. Sherrington was a humble man. He enjoyed spending his time with students, where he acted as an equal, not as their superior[45].


Notable publications[edit]

The Integrative Action of the Nervous System[edit]

Published in 1906, The Integrative Action of the Nervous System was the written version of Sherrington's Silliman lectures. He performed these lectures at Yale University in 1904. In the book, Sherrington pointed out that reflexes had to be goal-directive, purposive[46]. As mentioned earlier, Ferrier was a hero of Sherrington's. Out of respect, Sherrington dedicated this book to him[47].

The British clinician F.M.R. Walsh said of the book: "[i]n [p]hysiology it holds a position similar to that of Newton's Principia in physics. Here is the imprint of a scientific genius[48]."

According to the Journal of Postgraduate Medicine, in the book Sherrington expresses his theory that the nervous system acts as the coordinator of various parts of the body and that the reflexes are the simplest expressions of the interactive action of the nervous system, enabling the entire body to function toward one definite end at a time.

In the book, Sherrington established the nature of postural reflexes and their dependence on the anti-gravity stretch reflex and traced the afferent stimulus to the proprioceptive end organs, which he had already shown to be sensory in nature.

Man on His Nature[edit]

Man on His Nature reflected Sherrington's philosophical personality. Sherrington had long studied the 16th century French physician Jean Fernel. Sherrington pondered long on Fernel's thoughts and sayings. Sherrington grew so familiar with Fernel that he considered him a friend.

In the years of 1937 and 1938, Sherrington delivered the Gifford lectures at the University of Edinburgh. The lectures focused on Fernel and his times. These lectures came to be the major content of Man on His Nature. The book was released in 1940 and a revised edition came out in 1951.

These quotes give a glimpse into the content of the book

The principle of life, it may turn out, is no more than a useful human convention. But what of the
Mind? Mind knows itself and knows the world: chemistry and physics, explaining so much, cannot
undertake to explain Mind itself. It can intensify knowledge of Nature but it cannot be shown that
Mind has hitherto directed the operations of Nature. In that sense Mind and Nature are different.

Speaking of dualism: "Some people think that Thinking is all electric currents...Man's analysis of his sensible world seems to have outstripped his analysis of his own mind[49]."

The Assaying of Brabantius and other Verse[edit]

The Assaying of Brabantius and other Verse was a collection of previously published war-time poems. This was Sherrington's first major poetic release. The Assaying was published in 1925. Sherrington's poetic side was inspired by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Sherrington was fond of Goethe the poet, but not Goethe the scientist. Speaking of Goethe's scientific writings, Sherrington said "to appraise them is not a congenial task[50]."

Mammalian Physiology: a Course of Practical Exercises[edit]

The textbook was released in 1919 at the first possible moment after Sherrington's coming to Oxford and the end of the War[51].

Honors and associations[edit]

In 1899, Sherrington received the Royal College of Physicians of London's Baly gold medal "...for the person who shall be deemed to have most distinguished himself in the science of physiology, especially for the two years immediately preceding the award[52]."
In 1905, Sherrington was awarded with the Royal Medal.
In 1922, Sherrington earned the title of Knight or Sir. He was officially made Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.
In 1924, Sherrington received the Order of Merit.
In 1932, Sherrington was co-awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine with Edgar Adrian[53]. Sherrington had been recommended for the award as early as 1902[54].
At the time of his death, Sherrington held an honorary Degree of Doctorate at 22 universities: Oxford, Paris, Manchester, Strasbourg, Louvain, Uppsala, Lyon, Budapest, Athens, London, Toronto, Harvard, Dublin, Edinburgh, Montreal, Liverpool, Brussels, Sheffield, Bern, Birmingham, Glasgow, and the University of Wales[55].

Associated eponyms [56][edit]

Liddell-Sherrington reflex[edit]

Associated with: Edward George Tandy Liddell and Charles Scott Sherrington
Description: Tonic contraction of the muscles in response to its being stretched. When a muscle lengthens beyond a certain point, the myotatic reflex causes it to tighten and attempt to shorten. This is the tension you feel during stretching exercises.

Schiff-Sherrington reflex[edit]

Associated with: Moritz Schiff and Charles Scott Sherrington
Description: A grave sign in animals: rigid extension of the forelimbs after damage to the spine. It may be accompanied by paradoxical respiration - the intercostal muscles are paralysed and the chest is drawn passively in and out by the diaphragm.

Sherrington's law I[edit]

Description: Every posterior spinal nerve root supplies a particular area of the skin, with a certain overlap of adjacent dermatomes.

Sherrington's law II[edit]

Description: The law of reciprocal innervation. When contraction of a muscle is stimulated, there is a simultaneous inhibition of its antagonist. It is essential for coordinated movement.

Vulpian-Heidenhain-Sherrington phenomenon[edit]

Associated with: Rudolf Peter Heinrich Heidenhain, Edmé Félix Alfred Vulpian, and Charles Scott Sherrington
Description: Slow contraction of denervated skeletal muscle by stimulating autonomic cholinergic fibres innervating its blood vessels.

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Journal of Postgraduate Medicine, September 2004. Vol 50 Issue 3
  2. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 242
  3. ^ Eccles, J.; Gibson, W. : “Sherrington: His Life and Thought”, Springer International 1979. pg. 1
  4. ^ "Sir Charles Sherrington: ." The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1932. 1965. The Nobel Foundation. http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1932/sherrington-bio.html
  5. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 242
  6. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 242
  7. ^ Eccles, J.; Gibson, W. : “Sherrington: His Life and Thought”, Springer International 1979. pg. 1
  8. ^ Journal of Postgraduate Medicine, September 2004. Vol 50 Issue 3
  9. ^ Eccles, J.; Gibson, W. : “Sherrington: His Life and Thought”, Springer International 1979. pg. 2
  10. ^ Granit, R.: “Charles Scott Sherrington: An Appraisal”, Double Day & Company, Inc. 1967. pg. 3
  11. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 244
  12. ^ Eccles, J.; Gibson, W. : “Sherrington: His Life and Thought”, Springer International 1979. pg. 2
  13. ^ Journal of Postgraduate Medicine, September 2004. Vol 50 Issue 3
  14. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 246
  15. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 244
  16. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 245
  17. ^ Eccles, J.; Gibson, W. : “Sherrington: His Life and Thought”, Springer International 1979. pg. 3
  18. ^ Eccles, J.; Gibson, W. : “Sherrington: His Life and Thought”, Springer International 1979. pg. 4
  19. ^ Journal of Postgraduate Medicine, September 2004. Vol 50 Issue 3
  20. ^ ’’Journal of Neurology’’, May 2005.
  21. ^ Eccles, J.; Gibson, W. : “Sherrington: His Life and Thought”, Springer International 1979. pg. 4
  22. ^ Eccles, J.; Gibson, W. : “Sherrington: His Life and Thought”, Springer International 1979. pg. 5
  23. ^ "Sir Charles Sherrington: ." The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1932. 1965. The Nobel Foundation. http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1932/sherrington-bio.html
  24. ^ "Sir Charles Scott Sherrington." Who Named It?. <http://www.whonamedit.com/doctor.cfm/2266.html-30k->.
  25. ^ ’’Journal of Neurology’’, May 2005.
  26. ^ Eccles, J.; Gibson, W. : “Sherrington: His Life and Thought”, Springer International 1979. pg. 13
  27. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 257
  28. ^ "Sir Charles Scott Sherrington." Who Named It?. <http://www.whonamedit.com/doctor.cfm/2266.html-30k->.
  29. ^ ’’Journal of Neurology’’, May 2005.
  30. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 251
  31. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 258-59
  32. ^ Eccles, J.; Gibson, W. : “Sherrington: His Life and Thought”, Springer International 1979. pg. 15
  33. ^ Gibson, W.C.: “Twentieth Century Neurology: The British Contribution”, Imperial College Press 2001. pg. 4
  34. ^ Eccles, J.; Gibson, W. : “Sherrington: His Life and Thought”, Springer International 1979. pg. 24
  35. ^ Eccles, J.; Gibson, W. : “Sherrington: His Life and Thought”, Springer International 1979. pg. 25
  36. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 258
  37. ^ Journal of Postgraduate Medicine, September 2004. Vol 50 Issue 3
  38. ^ Gibson, W.C.: “Twentieth Century Neurology: The British Contribution”, Imperial College Press 2001. pg. 6
  39. ^ Journal of Postgraduate Medicine, September 2004. Vol 50 Issue 3
  40. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 261
  41. ^ Gibson, W.C.: “Twentieth Century Neurology: The British Contribution”, Imperial College Press 2001. pg. 6
  42. ^ Journal of Postgraduate Medicine, September 2004. Vol 50 Issue 3
  43. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 260
  44. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 260
  45. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 261
  46. ^ ’’Journal of Neurology’’, May 2005.
  47. ^ Journal of Postgraduate Medicine, September 2004. Vol 50 Issue 3
  48. ^ Journal of Postgraduate Medicine, September 2004. Vol 50 Issue 3
  49. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 260
  50. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 259
  51. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 258
  52. ^ Eccles, J.; Gibson, W. : “Sherrington: His Life and Thought”, Springer International 1979. pg. 15
  53. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 260
  54. ^ Gibson, W.C.: “Twentieth Century Neurology: The British Contribution”, Imperial College Press 2001. pg.
  55. ^ Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol. 8, No. 21. (Nov., 1952), pg. 260
  56. ^ "Sir Charles Scott Sherrington." Who Named It?. <http://www.whonamedit.com/doctor.cfm/2266.html-30k->.

External links[edit]

Sir Charles Scott Sherrington (WhoNamedIt.com)
Sir Charles Sherrington (TWENTIETH CENTURY NEUROLOGY)
Sir Charles Sherrington: The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1932 (Nobelprize.org)


Category:1857 births Category:1954 deaths

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