WORLDWIDE REFLEXOLOGY HISTORY

1582 - 1899

Johann August Unzer Dr. T. L. Brunton Sir Henry Head Joseph Babinski W. H. Fitzgerald

In 1582, in Europe, according to Harry Bond Bressler in his book “Zone Therapy”, medical doctors Dr. Adamus and Dr.A’tatis published a book on Zone therapy. Similarly, in 1583 medical doctor Dr. Ball published a book on Zone therapy in Leipzig.

German physiologist, Johann August Unzer (1747 – 1807) was the first to use the word “reflex’ when referring to motor reactions in his work published in 1771.

In 1833 English physiologist, Marshall Hall (1790 – 1857) introduced the concept and term “reflex action”.

Ivan Sechenov, Russian professor of physiology, discovered the cerebral inhibition of spinal reflexes and in 1870 published the paper “Who Must Investigate the Problems of Psychology and How?” and a book “Reflections of the Brain.”

In 1878 in England Dr. T. Lauder Brunton published an article “Reflex Action as a Cause of Disease and Means of Cure” which presented the benefits of inducing a blister on the skin in order to promote healing of an internal organ. “the blister acts reflexly upon the organ itself”.

It has been claimed that the twentieth American President James A. Garfield (1831 -1881 A.D.) was able to alleviate the pains he had, following an assassination attempt on his life, by applying pressure to various points in his feet, while pain-killing medicines gave him no relief.

Dr. Vladimir Bekhterev in Russia founded in 1891 the Neurology Science Society and in 1893 the Nevrologicheski Vestnik (Neurology Bulletin), the first Russian journal on nervous disease.

Algien Benedikt, Germany, published in 1892 “On Neuralgia and Neurologic Effects, Questions of Clinical Treatment and Clinical Problems.”                                                 

In 1893 Sir Henry Head published his research paper “On disturbance of Sensation with Especial Reference to the Pain of Visceral Disease” in England, proving a direct relationship between the application of pressure to the skin and internal organs. His research culminated into what has become known as “Head’s Zones” or “Zones of Hyperalgesia”.

The Babinski reflex is named after neurologist Joseph Babinski, who first described the reflex in 1893 in France in his paper ”A Phenomenon of the Toes and its Symptomological Value”.  In 1896, he presented his additional findings in ”Plantar Cutaneous Reflexes in Certain Organic Conditions of the Central Nervous System.”. The Babinski reflex is sometimes also referred to as the plantar reflex, extensor plantar reflex, or the Babinski sign. Since its discovery, testing the Babinski reflex has become a common part of newborn and infant examinations throughout the world.

Dr. Vladimir Bekhterev in Russia founded in 1891 the Neurology Science Society and in 1893 the Nevrologicheski Vestnik (Neurology Bulletin), the first Russian journal on nervous disease.

In 1895, in the U.S.A., William Fitzgerald received his medical degree from the University of Vermont.

In 1899, Dr. Otto Naegeli published in Germany “Treatment and Healing of Nervous Suffering and Nervous Pain by Hand Manipulation.”