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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Paper, 'On the reflex function of the medulla oblongata and spinalis, or the principle of tone in the muscular system' by Marshall Hall

Reference number: AP/17/5

Date: 1833

Description

Hall explains a mode of action he describes as reflex, which is separate to voluntary or involuntary action, and which he believes has been overlooked by physiologists. Annotations in pencil throughout.

Subject: Physiology

The paper was published in volume 123 of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London as 'XXVI. On the reflex function of the medulla oblongata and medulla spinalis'. [During the review process, Hall provided some additional material for publication. See MC/2/89 for Hall's letter to the Society and MM/11/72 for the additional material].

An abstract of the paper was also published in volume 3 of Abstracts of the Papers Printed in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London [later Proceedings of the Royal Society] as 'On the reflex function of the medulla oblongata and spinalis, or the principle of tone in the muscular system'.

Reference number
AP/17/5
Earliest possible date
1833
Physical description
Ink and graphite pencil on paper
Page extent
31 pages
Format
Manuscript

Creator name

Marshall Hall

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Citation

Marshall Hall, Paper, 'On the reflex function of the medulla oblongata and spinalis, or the principle of tone in the muscular system' by Marshall Hall, 1833, AP/17/5, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_17_5/paper-on-the-reflex-function-of-the-medulla-oblongata-and-spinalis-or-the-principle-of-tone-in-the-muscular-system-by-marshall-hall, accessed on 07 September 2026

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  • Archived Papers

    The 'Archived Papers' collection is comprised of original manuscript scientific papers and letters submitted to the Royal Society which remained unpublished or were abstracted in the journal 'Proceedings of the Royal Society' published from 1830 onwards.

    Dates: 1768 - 1989

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