R?bert Biriny, Austro-Hungarian Otologist

R?bert Barany (April 22, 1876 - April 8, 1936) was a Austro-Hungarian otologist. Otology is a branch of medicine which studies normal and pathological anatomy and physiology of the ear (hearing and vestibular sensory systems and related structures and functions) as well as its diseases, diagnosis and treatment. Barany was syringing fluid into the inner ear of a patient to relieve the patient's dizzy spells. The patient experienced vertigo and nystagmus (involuntary eye movement) when Barany injected fluid that was too cold. In response, Barany warmed the fluid for the patient and the patient experienced nystagmus in the opposite direction. Barany theorized that the endolymph was sinking when it was cool and rising when it was warm, and thus the direction of flow of the endolymph was providing the proprioceptive signal to the vestibular organ. He followed up on this observation with a series of experiments on what he called the caloric reaction. The research resulting from his observations made surgical treatment of vestibular organ diseases possible. He also investigated other aspects of equilibrium control, including the function of the cerebellum. He served with the Austrian army during World War I as a civilian surgeon and was captured by the Russian Army. When his Nobel Prize was awarded in 1914, Barany was in a Russian prisoner of war camp. He was released in 1916 following diplomatic negotiations with Russia and was able to attend the Nobel Prize awards ceremony in 1916. From 1917 until his death he was professor at Uppsala University. He died in 1936 at the age of 59, a few days shy of his 60th birthday

Restrictions Only for Ireland and United Kingdom

Austro Austro Hungarian Austro-hungarian Laureate Nobelist Recipient Researcher

Features In These Collections

> Contributors > PHR