George Ralph Mines, Ventricular Fibrillation and the Discovery of the Vulnerable Period

The discovery of the vulnerable period of the ventricle unmasked one of the major electrical properties of the heart. Since its description by George Ralph Mines in 1914, it has become crucial concept in understanding the electrophysiologic basis for ventricular fibrillation. Mines also proposed the theoretical basis for the occurrence of reentrant arrhythmias. Although these concepts are widely known, Mines himself remains an obscure figure since his own sudden death at young age. Mines was talented researcher who had short but prolific career in electrophysiology. The historical importance of his work lies in the influence he had on our understanding and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias as well as in the experimental methods he developed, which inspired new er of quantitative thinking in electrophysiology.