Magnus Blix

Magnus Gustaf Blix (1849-1904) with signature.

Magnus Gustaf Blix (December 25, 1849 – February 14, 1904) was a Swedish physiologist who was a professor at the universities of Uppsala and Lund.

Blix is best known for his work in the 1880s involving somatic sensation. He discovered that electrical stimulation on different points on the surface of the skin caused distinct warm or cool sensations. Subsequently he built a temperature stimulator which showed that a decreased skin temperature produced cool sensations from localized spots on separate skin locations. He also discovered that increased temperature induced warm sensations from different cutaneous locations. In addition he performed tests that involved localized tactile sensitivity.

In 1881-82 Blix published his findings in two important documents. During this time frame, German neurologist Alfred Goldscheider (1858-1935), and American physician Henry Herbert Donaldson (1857-1938) of Johns Hopkins University were performing similar experiments, independent of Blix.

Blix also conducted extensive research concerning the physiology of muscles.

Blix was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1892.

He is the grandfather of UN weapons inspector Hans Blix.

References

• History of Neuroscience Cutaneous sensory spots and the law of specific nerve energies (biography)
• Biography of Magnus Blix

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Name	Blix, Magnus Gustaf
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Date of birth	December 25, 1849
Place of birth
Date of death	February 14, 1904
Place of death