Sources of Thought Two 19th-century Chronobiologists: Thomas Laycock and Edward Smith

This article describes the works of two 19th-century chronobiologists. Thomas Laycock (1812-1876), who held the Chair of Medicine in Edinburgh from 1855-1876, published a series of seven articles in Lancet, all dedicated to periodicities in “vital phenomena.” Laycock considered the understanding of periodicities essential for the advancement of the treatment of diseases. Edward Smith (1818-1874) was a pioneer in experimental chronobiology. In his 1861 book entitled: Health and disease as influenced by daily, seasonal and other cyclical changes in the human, Smith summarized a large number of experiments in which he investigated the occurrence of periodicities in pulse rate, urine flow, urea excretion, and respiration. From his experimental results and those of others, Smith drew practical conclusions regarding patients' care, the timing of drug administration, and the design of night work.