A history of atrial fibrillation.

P Schweitzer, S Keller: Beth Israel Medical Center, First Av at 16th Street, New York, N.Y. 10003, USA.

Vulpian in France and Hoff and Ludwing in Germany first studied atrial fibrillation in experimental animals. In clinical medicine, de Senac and others, first observed irregular and fast pulse. Hering in 1903 described "pulsus irregularis perpetuus" as a distinct arrhythmia. Hering believed, that this was an extrasystolic rhythm disturbance, while Cushny and Edmunds suggested atrial fibrillation as its cause. Mackenzie was another British author who played an important role in the clarification of atrial fibrillation, particularly after Cushny convinced him, that the so-called nodal rhythm was atrial fibrillation. Einthoven reported the first ECG of atrial fibrillation without recognizing its true nature. Finally in 1909 and 1910 Lewis in London and, Rothberger and Winterberg in Vienna established atrial fibrillation as a clinical entity.