Tsoucalas Gregory, Karamanou Marianna, Lymperi Maria, Gennimata Vassiliki, Androutsos George
Department of History of Medicine, Medical School, University of Athens, Greece.
Int Marit Health. 2014;65(2):65-7. doi: 10.5603/IMH.2014.0015.
The natural electrical phenomena fascinated humans since antiquity. The electrical discharges produced by the torpedo fish were highly appreciated among ancient physicians as Hippocrates, Scribonius Largus and Galen and were prescribed for headache, gout and prolapsed anus. In the medieval period, torpedo's electrical properties were attributed to occult powers, while Renaissance physicians' and scientists' studied the anatomy and mechanical nature of the provoked shock paving the way for the discovery of the electrical nature of torpedo's activity and the evolution of electrotherapy.
自古代起,自然电现象就吸引着人类。电鳐产生的放电现象在古代医生如希波克拉底、斯克里博尼乌斯·拉古斯和盖伦眼中备受推崇,并被用于治疗头痛、痛风和脱肛。在中世纪,电鳐的电特性被归因于神秘力量,而文艺复兴时期的医生和科学家则研究了引发电击的解剖结构和机械本质,为发现电鳐活动的电本质以及电疗法的发展铺平了道路。