Zuntz

Zuntz Nathan (Nathan Zuntz, 1847-1920), known physiologist; studied medicine in Bonne and began working in Pflüger's laboratory. In 1868 he completed his course, presenting the dissertation "Contributions to the Physiology of Blood." From 1870 he was an assistant to Pflüger, and from 1881 a professor of animal physiology at the Higher Agricultural School in Berlin. Here Z. extensively developed his scientific activity in the field of respiratory physiology, blood gases, gas exchange, and metabolism, attracting numerous students, among whom were Russians: E. A. Bogdanov, M. I. Dyakov, B. I. Slovtsov. He constructed an apparatus for short-term experiments on gas exchange in both humans and animals (with a tracheal cannula), which found wide application, especially in a portable form with dry gas meters. Together with K. Lehmann and Hagemann, Zuntz conducted extensive research on metabolism in horses and cattle and clarified the energy expenditure of a horse (Agricultural Yearbooks, 1889-1898). His further research includes studies on fasting in humans (Virchow's Arch., Vol. CXXXI), study of gas exchange at mountain altitudes (Monte Rosa, Switzerland), research with Schumburg on the physiology of marching (1901), etc. Zuntz was the first to formulate the relationship between the non-protein respiratory coefficient and the thermal value of oxygen, which is still used today. Z. wrote the chapter "Blood Gases and Respiratory Gas Exchange" (Hermann's Handbook of Physiology; Russian trans.-St. Petersburg, 1889) and together with A. Loewy, with the participation of a number of collaborators, published a textbook of physiology (1909), which was also translated into Russian.