Charles Bell

Library of Congress

[b. Edinburgh, Scotland, November 1774, d. Worcestershire, England, April 28, 1842]

A pioneer in the study of the human nervous system, Bell discovered that nerves are actually bundles of fibers, each with its own origin. He showed that some nerve fibers have sensory functions and others have motor functions. Bell's palsy, a paralysis or weakness of muscles controlled by the facial nerve, is named after him.

History of Science and Technology, edited by Bryan Bunch and Alexander Hellemans. Copyright © 2004 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.