[Standardising hunger: François Magendie's feeding experiments on a gelatin fare 1831-1841].
Although François Magendie's studies on the functional differentiation of the spinal nerves, on the maintenance of blood pressure, and on the circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid have been sufficiently considered in medical historiography, his physiological research on nutrition, carried out between 1831-1841, has hardly attracted attention. With several series of animal experiments, Magendie tried to answer the question whether a gelatine-based fare would be suitable for feeding the indigent people of Paris. Taking these experimental series as a specific historical example, an approach from sociological systems theory is proposed in order to analyse the relations between Magendie's hunger laboratory, the French Académie des Sciences, food industrialists, and health and military administrators. The historiographical relevance of this approach as well as its methodological limitations are discussed in this article.
Stahnisch
Frank
F
Institut für Geschichte und Ethik der Medizin, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. Frank.Stahnisch@gesch.med.uni-erlangen.de
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet / Q000266:history* / Q000592:standards; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005602:France; D005780:Gelatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000266:history*; D006663:Historiography; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger / Q000502:physiology; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009753:Nutritive Value; D012015:Reference Standards; D012107:Research Design
D005780:Gelatin