The purpose of breathing remained an enigma for a long time. The Hippocratic school described breathing patterns but did not associate breathing with the lungs. Empedocles and Plato postulated that breathing was linked to the passage of air through pores of the skin. This was refuted by Aristotle who believed that the role of breathing was to cool the heart. In Alexandria, breakthroughs were accomplished in the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system. Later, Galen proposed an accurate description of the respiratory muscles and the mechanics of breathing. However, his heart-lung model was hampered by the traditional view of two non-communicating vascular systems - veins and arteries. After a period of stagnation in the Middle Ages, knowledge progressed with the discovery of pulmonary circulation. The comprehension of the purpose of breathing progressed by steps thanks to Boyle and Mayow among others, and culminated with the contribution of Priestley and the discovery of oxygen by Lavoisier. Only then was breathing recognized as fulfilling the purpose of respiration, or gas exchange. A century later, a controversy emerged concerning the active or passive transfer of oxygen from alveoli to the blood. August and Marie Krogh settled the dispute, showing that passive diffusion was sufficient to meet the oxygen needs.

Keywords:
Historical review, Respiratory physiology, Breathing, Respiration, Oxygen
1.
French RK: The thorax in history 1. From ancient times to Aristotle. Thorax 1978;33:10-18.
2.
Sournia JC: Histoire de la médecine et des médecins. Paris, Larousse, 1991.
3.
Proctor DF: Ancient medicine and the mystery of breathing; in Proctor DF (ed): A History of Breathing Physiology. New York, Dekker, 1995, pp 3-16.
4.
Derenne JP, et al: The earliest history of diaphragm physiology. Eur Respir J 1994;7:2234-2240.
5.
Wang T: Gas exchange in frogs and turtles: how ectothermic vertebrates contributed to solving the controversy of pulmonary oxygen secretion. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2011;202:593-600.
6.
French RK: The thorax in history. 2. Hellenistic experiment and human dissection. Thorax 1978;33:153-166.
7.
Proctor DF: Galen: His genius and his shadow; in Proctor DF (ed): A History of Breathing Physiology. New York, Dekker, 1995, pp 17-35.
8.
Derenne JP, et al: History of diaphragm physiology: the achievements of Galen. Eur Respir J 1995;8:154-160.
9.
French RK: The thorax in history. 3. Beginning of the Middle Ages. Thorax 1978;3:295-306.
10.
Mitzner WA: Leonardo and the physiology of respiration; in Proctor DF (ed): A History of Breathing Physiology. New York, Dekker, 1995, pp 37-59.
11.
Proctor DF: William Harvey (1578-1657): Blood circulates; in Proctor DF (ed): A History of Breathing Physiology. New York, Dekker, 1995, pp 61-74.
12.
French RK: The thorax in history. 5. Discovery of the pulmonary transit. Thorax 1978;33:555-564.
13.
French RK: The thorax in history. 6. Circulation of the blood. Thorax 1978;33:714-727.
14.
West JB: Marcello Malpighi and the discovery of the pulmonary capillaries and alveoli. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2013;304:L383-L390.
15.
Proctor DF: Weighing the air and testing its attributes; in Proctor DF (ed): A History of Breathing Physiology. New York, Dekker, 1995, pp 75-109.
16.
Proctor DF: Breathing the air; in Proctor DF (ed): A History of Breathing Physiology. New York, Dekker, 1995, pp 111-135.
17.
Walmsley J: John Locke on respiration. Med Hist 2007;51:453-476.
18.
Proctor DF: Mayow's Tractatus Quinque; in Proctor DF (ed): A History of Breathing Physiology. New York, Dekker, 1995, pp 149-166.
19.
Chinard FP: Priestley and Lavoisier: oxygen and carbon; in Proctor DF (ed): A History of Breathing Physiology. New York, Dekker, 1995, pp 203-221.
20.
Gjedde A: Diffusive insights: on the disagreement of Christian Bohr and August Krogh at the Centennial of the Seven Little Devils. Adv Physiol Educ 2010;34:174-185.
21.
Milledge JS: The great oxygen secretion controversy. Lancet 1985;2:1408-1411.
22.
Schmidt-Nielsen B: August and Marie Krogh and respiratory physiology. J Appl Physiol Respir Environ Exerc Physiol 1984;57:293-303.
23.
Hughes JM, Bates DV: Historical review: the carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) and its membrane (DM) and red cell (Theta.Vc) components. Respir Physiol Neurobiol 2003;138:115-142.
24.
Fitting JW: Transfer factor for carbon monoxide: a glance behind the scene. Swiss Med Wkly 2004;134:413-418.
25.
Pelster B: pH regulation and swimbladder function in fish. Respir Physiol Neurobiol 2004;144:179-190.
26.
Berenbrink M, et al: Magnitude of the Root effect in red blood cells and haemoglobin solutions of fishes: a tribute to August Krogh. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2011;202:583-592.
© 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel
2014
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.