Pavlov's Physiology Factory: Experiment, Interpretation, Laboratory Enterprise

In Lectures on the Work of the Main Digestive Glands, for which Pavlov won the Nobel Prize in 1904, the scientist frequently referred to the experiments of his coworkers and stated that his conclusions reflected "the deed of the entire laboratory." This novel claim caused the prize committee some consternation. Was he alone deserving of the prize? Examining the fascinating content of Pavlov's scientific notes and correspondence, unpublished memoirs, and laboratory publications, Todes explores the importance of Pavlov's directorship of what the author calls a "physiology factory" and illuminates its relationship to Pavlov's Nobel Prize-winning work and the research on conditional reflexes that followed it.

Todes looks at Pavlov's performance in his various roles as laboratory manager, experimentalist, entrepreneur, and scientific visionary. he discusses changes wrought by government and commercial interests in science and sheds light on the pathways of scientific development in Russia -- making clear Pavlov's personal achievements while also examining his style of laboratory management. Pavlov's Physiology Factory thus addresses issues of importance to historians of science and scientists today: "big" versus "small" science, the dynamics of experiment and interpretation, and the development of research cultures.

Russian physiologist and Nobel Prize winner Ivan Pavlov is most famous for his development of the concept of the conditional reflex and the classic experiment in which he trained a dog to salivate at the sound of a bell. In Pavlov's Physiology Factory: Experiment, Interpretation, Laboratory Enterprise, Daniel P. Todes explores Pavlov's early work in digestive physiology through the structures and practices of his landmark laboratory—the physiology department of the Imperial Institute for Experimental Medicine.

In Lectures on the Work of the Main Digestive Glands, for which Pavlov won the Nobel Prize in 1904, the scientist frequently referred to the experiments of his
coworkers and stated that his conclusions reflected "the deed of the entire laboratory." This novel claim caused the prize committee some consternation. Was he alone deserving of the prize? Examining the fascinating content of Pavlov's scientific notes and
correspondence, unpublished memoirs, and laboratory publications, Pavlov's Physiology Factory explores the importance of Pavlov's directorship of what the author calls a "physiology factory" and illuminates its relationship to Pavlov's Nobel Prize-winning work and the research on conditional reflexes that followed it.
Todes looks at Pavlov's performance in his various roles as laboratory manager, experimentalist, entrepreneur, and scientific visionary. He discusses changes wrought by government and commercial interests in science and sheds light on the pathways of scientific development in Russia—making clear Pavlov's personal achievements while also examining his style of laboratory management. Pavlov's Physiology Factory thusaddresses issues of importance to historians of science and scientists today: "big" versus "small" science, the dynamics of experiment and interpretation, and the development of research cultures.

Author Biography:
Daniel P. Todes is an associate professor of the history of science, medicine, and technology at the Johns Hopkins University.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Robert W. Teel, PhD(Loma Linda University)
Description:This is a thorough presentation of the events in the life of Pavlov who, over the course of many years, performed tedious experiments with carefully recorded results of studies of gastrointestinal function particularly as they were performed on the dog. The chapters in the book deal with events occurring in Russia that produced the physical plant and atmosphere that allowed Pavlov to perform his studies in St. Petersburg as well as the nature of the experiments themselves and the staffing, financing, and contributions of those experiments. Insights into the persona of Pavlov, the establishment of his reputation, controversies surrounding some of his work, and the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine in 1904 are presented in great detail. Additional detailed notes on each chapter can be found beginning on page 367.
Purpose:The author has written a book detailing the research career of Pavlov for anyone with an interest in the history of medicine or in the social and scientific environment that existed in Russia prior to and during the period of time he was chief of the physiology division at the Imperial Institute of Experimental Medicine in St. Petersburg. The book is written by a historian who, although not a physiologist, has carefully documented the research climate of the times including terminology that was in use at that time. He has accomplished the objectives of presenting the research career of Pavlov in an interesting manner for the most part even though the details at times can be tedious reading.
Audience:The book is for anyone with a serious interest in the history of medicine, in Pavlovian science, or in the social climate of the times when Pavlov was doing active research in Russia. Since it is a biography of Pavlov during the years he was becoming an established scientist to the time of his receiving the Nobel Prize in 1904, the book has a limited audience even among those engaged in science as a profession. Certainly the author knew this from the beginning.
Features:The book is divided into three main sections with a total of 10 chapters. For those interested, there is a lengthy section of notes on each chapter as well as an index of subjects and names. The book covers in great detail personnel, laboratory protocols, experimental results, and personal interactions over the research career of Pavlov. Several chapters are rather ponderous reading, but I was intrigued by the events that shaped the direction of research Pavlov took and how similar in many respects the whole process of doing research in his time is to that occurring today. Although the epilogue is informative, I would appreciate more details about Pavlov's life from the time he received the Nobel Prize in 1904 until his death in 1936. I found the human interest aspects of the book enjoyable reading.
Assessment:This book provides a carefully researched compilation of information dealing with the development of the scientific research career of Pavlov, particularly at the Imperial Institute of Experimental Medicine. For anyone wanting particulars about his research protocols, results, and practical applications, this is an excellent source, although the details of the book are at times difficult to work through.

Daniel P. Todes is an associate professor of the history of science, medicine, and technology at the Johns Hopkins University.