Haller, Albrecht von (1708–1777)

Swiss physician and scientist, founder of neurology. He studied the muscles and nerves, and concluded that nerves provide the stimulus that triggers muscle contraction. He also showed that it is the nerves, not muscle or skin, that receive sensation.

Haller was born in Berne and studied at Leiden, the Netherlands. He was professor at Göttingen, Germany, 1736–53.

Tracing the pathways of nerves, he was able to demonstrate that they always lead to the spinal cord or the brain, suggesting that these regions might be where awareness of sensation and the initiation of answering responses are located.

While carrying out his experiments, Haller discovered several processes of the human body, such as the role of bile in digesting fats. He also wrote a report on his study of embryonic development.

Haller published De respiratione experimenta anatomica/Experiments in the Anatomy of Respiration 1747 and Elementa physiologiae corporis humani/The Physiological Elements of the Human Body 1757–66.