https://doi.org/10.36866/pn.102.8

In the early 19^th century, experimental physiology was virtually non-existent in Britain, though it flourished in France and Germany. Medical students were largely taught by anatomists, surgeons and physicians. Things slowly started to change in 1836 with the appointment of William Sharpey, often described as ‘the father of modern physiology in Britain’ to the Chair of General Anatomy and Physiology at University College London.

The burgeoning of practical physiology involving work on living animals was paralleled by the emergence of those opposed to such experiments and in 1875, a Royal Commission of Enquiry into Vivisection was set up. The Commission recommended that work on living vertebrates should be governed by an Act of Parliament that required experimenters to be licensed by the Home Secretary and special conditions being imposed for certain types of experiments. Physiologists recognised the need to have a say in any proposal: this need led to the formation of The Physiological Society.

At a meeting on 31 March 1876, 19 physiologists* had gathered at the house of John Burdon-Sanderson at 49 Queen Anne Street, London. There, they proposed to form an association under the name of ‘The Physiological Society’ for ‘promoting the advancement of physiology and facilitating the intercourse between physiologists’.

Scientific meetings formed of communications, and demonstrations in conjunction with Society Dinners became more frequent, reflecting The Society’s birth as a ‘Dining Club’. The inaugural dinner was held at the Criterion Restaurant on 26 May 1876, the first ordinary meeting was held on 9 November 1876.

*The 19 physiologsists were: John Burdon Sanderson in the chair, William Sharpey, TH Huxley, Michael Foster, George H Lewes, Francis Galton, John Marshall, GM Humphry, F William Pavy, J Lauder Brunton, David Ferrier, PH Pye Smith, WH Gaskell, JG M’Kendrick, E Kline, Edward A Schäfer, Francis Darwin, George Romanes and Gerald Yeo.