Wallace Osgood Fenn (April 27, 1893 – September 20, 1971) was a

physiologist Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a sub-discipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out the chemical a ...

, chairman of the department of physiology at the

University of Rochester The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private research university in Rochester, New York. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The University of Roc ...

from 1925 to 1959. He also headed the University's Space and Science center from 1964 to 1966. He was also the president of the American Physiological Society, the president of the

American Institute of Biological Sciences The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) is a nonprofit scientific charity. The organization’s mission is to promote the use of science to inform decision-making and advance biology for the benefit of science and society. Overvie ...

, and the president of the International Union of Physiological Science. His work on heat generated by muscles,

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use by the

nervous system In biology, the nervous system is the highly complex part of an animal that coordinates its actions and sensory information by transmitting signals to and from different parts of its body. The nervous system detects environmental changes th ...

, and

potassium Potassium is the chemical element with the symbol K (from Neo-Latin ''kalium'') and atomic number19. Potassium is a silvery-white metal that is soft enough to be cut with a knife with little force. Potassium metal reacts rapidly with atmosphe ...

equilibrium in muscle, as well as pressure breathing and nitrogen narcosis, was recognized internationally. ''

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'' called him a "leading physiologist". Other recognitions includes honorary degrees from the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...

, the

University of Brussels University of Brussels may refer to several institutions in Brussels, Belgium: Current institutions * Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), a French-speaking university established as a separate entity in 1970 *Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), a D ...

and from the

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, as well as the following awards: Feltrinell International Prize for Experimental Medicine and the Guggenheim award of the

International Academy of Astronautics The International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) is an independent non-governmental organization established in Stockholm ( Sweden) on August 16, 1960, by Dr. Theodore von Kármán, and recognized by the United Nations in 1996. The IAA has electe ...

Biography

Fenn was born in Lanesborough, Massachusetts. He graduated from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

with an

A.B. Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...

degree in 1914. His graduate work and Ph.D. thesis were interrupted by

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, and he finished it upon return from the army in 1919. He was an instructor at

Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the graduate medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is one of the oldest medical schools in the United States and is consi ...

from 1919 to 1923. He then studied at the Rockefeller Institute for two years. Subsequently, he assumed his position as the chairman of the department of physiology at the

, where he stayed until 1959. He specialized in the physiology of runners, then in aviation, and later in space exploration. The American Physiological Society obituary described him as " sincerely modest man hoavoided the spotlight and never dominated a meeting or conversation, but he was forceful when required and had a warm, outgoing nature with a delightful sense of humor".

Chronology

* 1893: Born August 27 in Lanesboro, Massachusetts * 1910: Graduated from Cambridge Latin School, Cambridge, Mass * 1914: A.B., Harvard University * 1916: A.M., Harvard University * 1917–1918: Second Lieutenant, US Army, Sanitary Corps * 1919: Ph.D., Harvard University (Plant Physiology) * 1919–1922: Instructor in Applied Physiology, Harvard Medical School * 1922–1924: Trabeling Fellow, Rockefeller Institute * 1924–1959: Professor and Chairman of Physiology, The University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry * 1962–1966: Director, Space Science Center, The University of Rochester * 1961–1971: Distinguished Professor of Physiology * 1971: Died September 20 in Rochester, New York, after a brief illness

Awards

* 1943:

National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Nati ...

, Elected Member * 1946:

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS), founded in 1743 in Philadelphia, is a scholarly organization that promotes knowledge in the sciences and humanities through research, professional meetings, publications, library resources, and communit ...

, Elected Member * 1948:

American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and ...

, Elected Member * 1949: John F. Lewis Prize, American Philosophical Society * 1958: Fold Medal Award, University of Rochester Medical Alumni Association * 1961: Certificate of Merit, Rochester Academy of Medicine * 1964: Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Award, International Academy of Astronautics * 1964:

Antonio Feltrinelli International Prize The Feltrinelli Prize (from the Italian "Premio Feltrinelli", also known as "International Feltrinelli Prize" or "Antonio Feltrinelli Prize") is an award for achievement in the arts, music, literature, history, philosophy, medicine, and physical a ...

for Experimental Medicine, Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, RomeFeltrinelli Prize Winners
/ref> * 1967: Research Achievement Award, American Heart Association * 1971: Johannes Muller Medallion, The German Physiological Society * 1971: Ville de Monaco Medal

Honorary degrees

* 1950: University of Chicago, D.Sc * 1959: Universidad San Marcos, Peru, Catedratico * 1960: Universote de Paris, Docteur * 1965: Eniversite Libre de Bruxelles, Docteur * 1965: The University of Rochester, D.Sc

Notable publications

* ''Respiration'': 10 editions published between 1964 and 1976 in English and held in 278 libraries worldwide * ''History of the American Physiological Society; the third quarter century, 1937–1962'': 4 editions published in 1963 in English and held in 190 libraries worldwide * ''History of the International Congresses of Physiological Sciences, 1889–1968'': 7 editions published between 1968 and 1969 in English and held in 159 libraries worldwide * ''Muscle'': 1 edition published in 1941 in English and held in 33 libraries worldwide Other publications: * Daggs, R. G. Wallace O. Fenn, 1893–1971. Physiologist 14: 301–303, 1971. * Physiology on horseback. Past-president's address. Am. J. Physiol. 159: 551–555, 1949. * Fenn, W. O. Born fifty years too soon. Annu. Rev. Physiol. 24: 1–10, 1962. * Fenn, W. O. History of the American Physiological Society: The Third Quarter Century, 1937–1962. Washington, DC: Am. Physiol. Soc., 1963. * Fenn, W. O. (Editor) History of the International Congresses of Physiological Sciences, 1889–1968. Washington, DC: Am. Physiol. Soc., 1968. * Rahn, H. Wallace O. Fenn, president of the American Physiological Society, 1946–1948. Physiologist 19: 1–10, 1976. * Rahn, H. Wallace Osgood Fenn, August 27, 1893 – September 20, 1971. Biogr. Mem. Natl. Acad. Sci. 50: 141–173, 1979.

Biography

Chronology

Awards

Honorary degrees

Notable publications

References

Further reading