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Otto Frank (physiologist)
Encyclopedia
Otto Frank was a German doctor and an important figure in the history of cardiac physiology.
and was the son of Georg Frank (1838–1907), a doctor of medicine and a practicing physician, and Mathilde Lindenborn (1841–1906). Otto Frank was married to Theres Schuster.
between 1884 and 1889 (approbation in München 1889). During 1889 to 1891 he undertook training in mathematics, chemistry, physics, anatomy and zoology in Heidelberg
, Glasgow
, München and Straßburg
. He then worked until 1894 as an assistant to Carl Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig in the Physiologisches Institut in Leipzig
. There in 1892 he completed his doctoral studies (Promotion).
Subsequently, from 1894 Frank worked as an assistant in Carl von Voit
's Physiological Institute in München where he studied cardiac function using approaches derived from earlier thermodynamic analyses of skeletal muscle
contraction
. His work on the behaviour of heart muscle was the topic of his post doctoral work. In 1902 he became an Extraordinary Professor and from 1905 to 1908 he undertook further work on this topic before becoming a full professor (Ordinariat). Then he returned to München to continue this work. Carl J. Wiggers
visited Frank’s laboratory in 1912 and found Frank a ‘‘brilliant analyst, a skillful systematist, a talented mathematician, and a creative thinker...’’, but secretive and difficult to work with. Wiggers returned to the US in the fall of 1912 having ‘smuggled’ copies of some of Frank’s equipment out with him, despite this Wiggers and Frank seem to have maintained cordial relations subsequently. Frank appears to have been a demanding teacher and Richard Bing
, an Editor of the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, who studied with Frank, recalled him as '...a holy terror, hating mediocrity, and many a student bit the dust in the examination in Physiology. Frank continued to work in München until his enforced retirement in 1934 due to his opposition to the Nazi regime.
in 1911. His work on the Windkessel
extended the original ideas of Stephen Hales
and provided a sound mathematical framework for this approach. Frank also published on waves in the arterial system but his attempts to produce a theory that incorporated waves and the Windkessel are not considered to have been successful. Frank also did work on the oscillatory characteristics of the auditory apparatus of the ear and the thermodynamics of muscle. He also worked extensively on developing accurate methods to measure blood pressure
and other physiological phenomena (e.g. Frank's capsule (Frank-Kapsel), optical Spiegelsphygmograph).
Family and early life
(Friedrich, Wilhelm, Ferdinand) Otto Frank was born in Groß-UmstadtGroß-Umstadt
Groß-Umstadt is a town in the district of Darmstadt-Dieburg in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany. It is near Darmstadt and Frankfurt on the northern border of the Odenwald and is on the edge of the Frankfurt Rhein-Main Region. The highest point of the town is the Heidelberg .The population is...
and was the son of Georg Frank (1838–1907), a doctor of medicine and a practicing physician, and Mathilde Lindenborn (1841–1906). Otto Frank was married to Theres Schuster.
Training and Work
Otto Frank studied medicine in München and KielKiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
between 1884 and 1889 (approbation in München 1889). During 1889 to 1891 he undertook training in mathematics, chemistry, physics, anatomy and zoology in Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, München and Straßburg
Strasburg
-Places:*Strasbourg, a city in Alsace *Straßburg, Austria, in Carinthia*Strasburg, Germany, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania*the former name of Brodnica, became Polish after World War I*Strassburg, the German name for Aiud, Alba...
. He then worked until 1894 as an assistant to Carl Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig in the Physiologisches Institut in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
. There in 1892 he completed his doctoral studies (Promotion).
Subsequently, from 1894 Frank worked as an assistant in Carl von Voit
Carl von Voit
Carl von Voit was a German physiologist and dietitian.Von Voit was born in Amberg. From 1848 to 1854 he studied medicine in Munich and Würzburg; habilitation in 1857 at the University of Munich, professor of physiology since 1860, as well as curator of the physiological collection.Carl von Voit is...
's Physiological Institute in München where he studied cardiac function using approaches derived from earlier thermodynamic analyses of skeletal muscle
Skeletal muscle
Skeletal muscle is a form of striated muscle tissue existing under control of the somatic nervous system- i.e. it is voluntarily controlled. It is one of three major muscle types, the others being cardiac and smooth muscle...
contraction
Muscle contraction
Muscle fiber generates tension through the action of actin and myosin cross-bridge cycling. While under tension, the muscle may lengthen, shorten, or remain the same...
. His work on the behaviour of heart muscle was the topic of his post doctoral work. In 1902 he became an Extraordinary Professor and from 1905 to 1908 he undertook further work on this topic before becoming a full professor (Ordinariat). Then he returned to München to continue this work. Carl J. Wiggers
Carl J. Wiggers
Carl J. Wiggers was an eminent cardiovascular physiologist and was the 21st president of the American Physiological Society. He is the author of the Wiggers diagram, a diagram commonly used in the teaching of cardiovascular physiology...
visited Frank’s laboratory in 1912 and found Frank a ‘‘brilliant analyst, a skillful systematist, a talented mathematician, and a creative thinker...’’, but secretive and difficult to work with. Wiggers returned to the US in the fall of 1912 having ‘smuggled’ copies of some of Frank’s equipment out with him, despite this Wiggers and Frank seem to have maintained cordial relations subsequently. Frank appears to have been a demanding teacher and Richard Bing
Richard Bing
Richard John Bing was a cardiologist who made significant contributions to his field of study.-Early life and education:...
, an Editor of the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, who studied with Frank, recalled him as '...a holy terror, hating mediocrity, and many a student bit the dust in the examination in Physiology. Frank continued to work in München until his enforced retirement in 1934 due to his opposition to the Nazi regime.
Achievements
Frank's initial research was related to fat absorption. But in his postdoctoral work (Habilitationsschrift) Frank investigated the isometric and isotonic contractile behaviour of the heart and it is this work that he is best known for. Frank's work on this topic preceded that of Ernest Starling, but both are usually credited with providing the foundations of what is termed the Frank–Starling law of the heart. This law states that "Within physiological limits, the force of contraction is directly proportional to the initial length of the muscle fiber". Frank also undertook important work into the physiological basis of the arterial pulse waveform and may have coined the term essential hypertensionEssential hypertension
Essential hypertension is the form of hypertension that by definition, has no identifiable cause. It is the most common type of hypertension, affecting 95% of hypertensive patients, it tends to be familial and is likely to be the consequence of an interaction between environmental and genetic...
in 1911. His work on the Windkessel
Windkessel effect
Windkessel effect is a term used in medicine to account for the shape of the arterial pressure waveform in terms of the interaction between the stroke volume and the compliance of the aorta and large elastic arteries . Windkessel in German literally means 'air chamber', but is generally taken to...
extended the original ideas of Stephen Hales
Stephen Hales
Stephen Hales, FRS was an English physiologist, chemist and inventor.Hales studied the role of air and water in the maintenance of both plant and animal life. He gave accurate accounts of the movements of water in plants, and demonstrated that plants absorb air...
and provided a sound mathematical framework for this approach. Frank also published on waves in the arterial system but his attempts to produce a theory that incorporated waves and the Windkessel are not considered to have been successful. Frank also did work on the oscillatory characteristics of the auditory apparatus of the ear and the thermodynamics of muscle. He also worked extensively on developing accurate methods to measure blood pressure
Blood pressure
Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood vessels, and is one of the principal vital signs. When used without further specification, "blood pressure" usually refers to the arterial pressure of the systemic circulation. During each heartbeat, BP varies...
and other physiological phenomena (e.g. Frank's capsule (Frank-Kapsel), optical Spiegelsphygmograph).
Selected Published Work
- Zur Dynamik des Herzmuskels, Z Biol 32 (1895) 370
- Die Grundform des arteriellen Pulses, Z Biol 37 (1899) 483-526 (a translation is given by Sagawa K, Lie RK, Schaefer J. J Mol Cell Cardiol 1990; 22: 253-277)
- Kritik der elastischen Manometer, 1903
- Die Registrierung des Pulses durch einen Spiegelsphygmographen, Münchn Med Wschr 42 (1903) 1809–1810
- Die Elastizitat der Blutgefasse. Zeitschrift fur Biologie, 1920; 71: 255-272.
- Die Theorie der Pulswellen. Zeitschrift fur Biologie, 1926; 85: 91-130.
- Schatzung des Schlagvolumens des menschlichen Herzens auf Grund der Wellen und Windkesseltheorie. Zeitschrift fur Biologie 1930; 90: 405-409.
Publications about Otto Frank
- Otto Frank (Physiologe) Wikipedia (in German)
- Wilhelm Katner: Frank, Otto. In: Histor. Komm. b. d. Bayer. Akad. d. Wiss. (Hrsg.), Neue Deutsche Biographie, 5. Bd., Berlin 1961, S. 335–336
- I. Fischer (Hrsg.): Biographisches Lexikon der hervorragenden Ärzte der letzten fünfzig Jahre. Berlin 1932, Bd. 1, S. 438
- Kürschners Dtsch. Gelehrtenkalender 6 (1940/41) 378
- A. P. Fishman, D. W. Richards (eds.): Circulation of the blood. New York 1964, pp. 110–113
- A. Hahn: Nekrolog. Jahrb. d. bayer. Akad d. Wiss. 1944–1948, S. 202–205
- K. E. Rothschuh: Geschichte der Physiologie. Berlin 1953, S. 184–186
- K. Wezler: Otto Frank. Z Biol 1950; 103: 92–122
- W. Blasius, J. Boylan, K. Kramer (Hrsg.): Begründer der experimentellen Physiologie. München 1971
- H.G. Zimmer: Otto Frank and the fascination of high-tech cardiac physiology. Clin Cardiol 2004; 27: 665-666
- H.G. Zimmer. Who Discovered the Frank-Starling Mechanism? News Physiol Sci 2002; 17: 181-84.
- Carlton B Chapman & Eugene Wasserman. Translators note in relation to a Special Article 'On the Dynamics of Cardiac Muscle' by Otto Frank. American Heart Journal 1959; 58: 282-317.
External links
- Short biography and links on digitized sources in the Virtual LaboratoryVirtual LaboratoryThe online project Virtual Laboratory. Essays and Resources on the Experimentalization of Life, 1830-1930, located at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, is dedicated to research in the history of the experimentalization of life...
of the Max Planck Institute for the History of ScienceMax Planck Institute for the History of ScienceThe Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin was established in March 1994. Its research is primarily devoted to a theoretically oriented history of science, principally of the natural sciences, but with methodological perspectives drawn from the cognitive sciences and from...