Ivan Petrovich Pavlov, whose brief biography will be considered by us, is a Russian physiologist, psychologist, and Nobel Prize laureate. He was engaged in the processes of regulation of digestion, created the science of higher nervous activity. We will talk about all this, as well as many other things related to his name in this article.
Origin and training in Ryazan
September 26, 1849 in the city of Ryazan was born Ivan Petrovich Pavlov. A brief biography of him would be incomplete if we had not said a few words about his family. Ivan 's father , Pyotr Dmitrievich, was a parish priest. Varvara Ivanovna, the mother of Ivan Petrovich, led the household. The photo below shows Pavlov’s house in Ryazan, which is now a museum.
The future scientist began studying at the Ryazan Theological College. After graduating from it in 1864, he entered Ryazan Theological Seminary. Later, Ivan Petrovich warmly recalled this period. He noted that he was lucky to learn from wonderful teachers. At the last year of seminary, Ivan Pavlov got acquainted with the book "Brain Reflexes" by I. Sechenov. It was she who determined his future fate.
Moving to St. Petersburg to continue studying
In 1870, the future scientist decided to enter the law faculty of St. Petersburg University. True, Ivan Pavlov studied here only 17 days. He decided to transfer to the natural department of another faculty, physical and mathematical. Ivan Petrovich studied with professors I.F. Zion, F.V. Ovsyannikov. In particular, he was interested in the physiology of animals. In addition, Ivan Petrovich devoted much time to the study of nervous regulation, being a true follower of Sechenov.
After graduation, Ivan Petrovich Pavlov decided to continue his studies. His brief biography was marked by his admission immediately to the third year of the Medical and Surgical Academy. In 1879, Pavlov graduated from this educational institution and began to work in the Botkin clinic. Here Ivan Petrovich headed the laboratory of physiology.
Internship abroad, work in the clinic of Botkin and the Military Medical Academy
The period from 1884 to 1886 includes his internship in Germany and France, after which the scientist returns to work in the Botkin clinic. Pavlov in 1890 decided to make a professor of pharmacology and sent to the Military Medical Academy. After 6 years, the scientist is already heading the Department of Physiology. He left her only in 1926.
Imaginary Feeding Experiment
Simultaneously with this work, Ivan Petrovich studies the physiology of blood circulation, digestion, and higher nervous activity. He conducted his famous experiment with imaginary feeding in 1890. The scientist establishes that the nervous system plays a big role in the digestive processes. For example, the process of juice separation occurs in 2 phases. The first of them is neuro-reflex, followed by a humoral-clinical one.
Learning reflexes, well-deserved rewards
After that, Ivan Petrovich Pavlov began to carefully examine the higher nervous activity . His brief biography is supplemented by new achievements. He achieved significant results in the study of reflexes. In 1903, at the age of 54, he spoke at the International Medical Congress in Madrid with his report Pavlov Ivan Petrovich. The contribution to the science of this scientist did not go unnoticed. For achievements in the study of digestion in the next, 1904, he was awarded the Nobel Prize.
The scientist in 1907 became a member of the RAS. The Royal Society of London in 1915 presents him with the Copley Medal.
Attitude to the revolution
Pavlov called the October Revolution a "Bolshevik experiment." At first, he was enthusiastic about changes in life and would certainly see the completion of what was started. He was considered in the West the only free citizen in Russia. The authorities favored a brilliant scientist. V.I. Lenin even signed in 1921 a special decree on creating conditions for the normal work and life of Pavlov and his family.
However, after a while, disappointment came. The mass expulsion of prominent intellectuals abroad, the arrests of friends and colleagues showed the inhumanity of this "experiment." More than once, Ivan Petrovich spoke from positions that were unpleasant for the authorities. He shocked the party leadership with his speeches. Pavlov did not agree to "strengthen labor discipline" in the laboratory headed by him. He said that the scientific team should not be equated with a factory, and mental work should not be belittled. Appeals of Ivan Petrovich began to arrive at the Council of People's Commissars demanding the release of those arrested who were familiar to him, as well as an end to terror, repression and persecution of the church in the country.
Difficulties Pavlov had to face
Despite the fact that Pavlov did not accept much of what was happening in the country, he always worked hard for the good of his homeland. Nothing could break his mighty spirit and will. During the Civil War, the scientist worked at the Military Medical Academy, where he taught physiology. It is known that the laboratory was not heated, so in experiments I had to sit in a fur coat and hat. If there was no light, Pavlov operated with a splinter (she was held by an assistant). Ivan Petrovich, even in the most hopeless years, supported his colleagues. The laboratory survived thanks to his efforts and did not stop its activities in the harsh 20s.
So, Pavlov took the revolution as a whole negatively. He was in poverty during the years of the Civil War; therefore, he repeatedly asked the Soviet authorities to let him out of the country. He was promised an improvement in his financial situation, but the authorities did very little in this direction. In the end, the establishment of the Institute of Physiology in Koltushi was announced (in 1925). This institute was headed by Pavlov. He worked here until the end of his days.
The 15th World Congress of Physiologists was held in Leningrad in August 1935. Pavlov elected him president. All scientists unanimously bowed to Ivan Petrovich. This became a scientific triumph of Academician Pavlov, recognition of the great importance of his work.
The last years of his life include Ivan Petrovich’s trip to his homeland, to Ryazan. Here he was also met very friendly. A festive reception was arranged for Ivan Petrovich.
The death of Ivan Petrovich
Ivan Pavlov died in Leningrad on February 27, 1936. The cause of death is exacerbated pneumonia. He left behind many achievements, which are worth talking about separately.
The main achievements of the scientist
The works of Ivan Petrovich Pavlov on the physiology of digestion, which earned the highest international recognition, served as an impetus for the development of a new direction in physiology. It is a physiology of higher nervous activity. Scientist Pavlov Ivan Petrovich devoted about 35 years of his life to this direction. He is the creator of the method of conditioned reflexes. The study of mental processes in animals using this method led to the creation of a study of the mechanisms of the brain and higher nervous activity. In 1913, to carry out experiments related to conditioned reflexes, a building was built with two towers, which were called the "Towers of Silence". At first, three special chambers were equipped here, and since 1917 five more came into operation.
One more discovery of Pavlov Ivan Petrovich should be noted. His merit is the development of the doctrine of what types of higher nervous activity exist . He also owns the doctrine of the "dynamic stereotype" (a complex of reactions to certain stimuli) and other achievements.
Pavlov Ivan Petrovich, whose contribution to medicine is hard to overestimate, began research in a psychiatric hospital in 1918. On his initiative in 1931, a clinical base was also created at the department. IP Pavlov from November 1931 held scientific meetings in psychiatric and nervous clinics - the so-called "clinical environment".
These are the main achievements of Ivan Petrovich Pavlov. This is a great scientist whose name is useful to remember.