Charles Edward Beevor (12 June 1854 – 5 December 1908) was an English

neurologist Neurology (from el, νεῦρον (neûron), "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the brain, the spinal c ...

and

anatomist Anatomy () is the branch of biology concerned with the study of the structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is a branch of natural science that deals with the structural organization of living things. It is an old science, having its ...

who described

Beevor's sign Beevor's sign is medical sign in which the navel moves towards the head upon flexing the neck, indicating selective weakness of the lower abdominal muscles. Causes include spinal cord injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and facioscapulohu ...

, the

Jaw jerk reflex The jaw jerk reflex or the masseter reflex is a stretch reflex used to test the status of a patient's trigeminal nerve ( cranial nerve V) and to help distinguish an upper cervical cord compression from lesions that are above the foramen magnum. The ...

, and the area of the brain supplied by the

anterior choroidal artery The anterior choroidal artery originates from the internal carotid artery. However, it may (rarely) arise from the middle cerebral artery. Structure The anterior choroidal artery originates from the distal carotid artery 5 mm after the origin of ...

. He also coined

Beevor's axiom Beevor's Axiom is the idea that the brain does not know muscles, only movements. In other words, the brain registers the movements that muscles combine to make, not the individual muscles that are making the movements. Hence, this is why one can sig ...

that "the brain does not know muscles, only movements."

Biography

He was born in London to Charles Beevor, FRCS and Elizabeth (née Burrell) and educated at

Blackheath Proprietary School The Blackheath Proprietary School was an educational establishment founded in 1830. In the 19th century, it had a profound influence on the game of football, in both Association and Rugby codes. In 1863, the school became one of the founders of Th ...

and

University College London , mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £143 million (2020) , budget = ...

. He trained in medicine at

University College Hospital University College Hospital (UCH) is a teaching hospital in the Fitzrovia area of the London Borough of Camden, England. The hospital, which was founded as the North London Hospital in 1834, is closely associated with University College London ...

and the University of London, graduating MB in 1879 and MD in 1881. He took the post of Resident Medical Officer at the

National Hospital for the Paralysed and Epileptic The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (informally the National Hospital or Queen Square) is a neurological hospital in Queen Square, London. It is part of the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. It was the f ...

, becoming Assistant Physician and then full Physician. He was also Physician for many years to the Great Northern Central Hospital. In 1907, he became president of the Neurological Society. He was elected a Fellow of the

Royal College of Physicians The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of physicians by examination. Founded by royal charter from King Henry VIII in 1 ...

in 1888 and delivered their

Croonian Lecture The Croonian Medal and Lecture is a prestigious award, a medal, and lecture given at the invitation of the Royal Society and the Royal College of Physicians. Among the papers of William Croone at his death in 1684, was a plan to endow a single ...

in 1903 ''On Muscular Movements and their Representation in the Central Nervous System''.

Publication

He published the ''Handbook on Diseases of the Nervous System'' in 1898.

References

* * 1854 births 1908 deaths English biologists English anatomists Alumni of University College London People educated at Blackheath Proprietary School {{UK-biologist-stub