CME INDIA Presentation by ⚜ Dr. M. Gowri Sankar, MD, Senior Assistant Professor, Dept. of General Medicine, Government Medical College and ESI Hospital, Coimbatore.
Today’s History Feature:
Prof. Richard Darwin Keynes
(Aug 14,1919 – Jun 12, 2010)
💠British Physiologist
His contributions…
🔹Keynes was the great-grandson of Charles Darwin. He studied Natural Science course at Trinity College, Cambridge and then completed his Ph.D. under the guidance of well-known physiologist Sir Alan Hodgkins.
🔹After his studies, he joined as a faculty at the University of Cambridge and became a Professor of Physiology in 1973. He served there until his retirement in 1987.
🔹Through his experiments, Keynes dissected squid (a sea creature) and studied the biophysical properties of nerve fibres by using radioactive tracers.
🔹He made a ground-breaking discovery by using Radioactive sodium and potassium. Hetraced the “Influx of Sodium ions and efflux of Potassium during the transmission of nerve impulse.“
🔹He also proved that the nerves and muscles maintain their ionic concentration gradient by using “Sodium Pump.“
🔹Furthermore, he elucidated the mystery of how Electric Eels (electric fish) project huge electric charges to stun and kill its prey.
🔹Ultimately, he published his work in the following books:
🔅Nerve and Muscle (1981).
🔅The Comparative Physiology of Sensory System (1984).
🔹Moreover, he made significant contributions to our understanding and appreciation of Darwin’s genius. He wrote the biography of Charles Darwin through his books…
🔅The Beagle Record (1979).
🔅Charles Darwin’s Beagle Diary (1988).
🔅Charles Darwin’s Zoology Notes and Specimen Lists from HMS Beagle (2000).
🔅Fossils Finches and Fuegians (2002).
🔹In the end, Dr. Richard Keynes was celebrated as a distinguished researcher and a champion for his work on the legacy of his great-grandfather Charles Darwin.
A Day to Commemorate…
A Distinguished Medical Researcher
Prof. Richard Darwin Keynes 🙏
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