Arthur Clifton Guyton (September 8, 1919 – April 3, 2003) was an American physiologist best known for his studies on cardiovascular physiology and his Textbook of Medical Physiology, which quickly became the standard text on the subject in medical schools. The first edition was published in 1956, the 10th edition in 2000 (the last before Guyton's death), and the 12th edition in 2010. The 15th edition published in 2025 is the latest version available. It is the world's best-selling medical physiology textbook.
Textbook of Medical Physiology
Textbook of Medical Physiology is one of the world's best-selling physiology books and has been translated into at least 13 languages (the textbook memoriam states 13, Subsequent editions, including the latest, preserve his legacy within the title, Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology. He has also published renowned textbooks on neurosciences.
Cardiovascular physiology
Guyton is most famous for his experiments in the 1950s which studied the physiology of cardiac output and its relationship with the peripheral circulation (see e.g. chapter 23 of Guyton 1976 edition, or chapter 20 of both Guyton 1991
Respiratory Model and Control
'See also A Mathematical Model of the Human Respiratory Control System
thumb|Modeling Respiratory system
Biography
Arthur Guyton was born in Oxford, Mississippi to Billy S. Guyton, a respected eye, ear, nose, and throat specialist, and Kate Smallwood Guyton, a mathematics and physics teacher who had been a missionary in China before marriage. His obituary states "unlike most major textbooks, which often have as many as 10–20 authors", the first eight editions "were written entirely by Guyton with a new edition always arriving on schedule for nearly 40 years. This feat is unprecedented for any physiology or medical text. His textbook is unique in the history of medical publishing".
His obituary notes that he triumphed over polio:
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He had a special ability to inspire people through his indomitable spirit", and "his courage in the face of adversity humbled us. He would not succumb to the crippling effects of polio. It is very unlikely that a repairman ever crossed his doorstep, except perhaps for a social visit. He and his children not only built their home, but also repaired each and every malfunctioning appliance and home device no matter the difficulty or the physical challenge. He built a hoist to lower himself into the "hole" beneath their house to repair the furnace and septic lines when calling a repairman seemed to be the only option to those who did not know him well. On trips to meetings, he walked long distances across airport terminals when using a wheelchair would have been much easier. His struggle to rise from his chair and walk to the podium for a lecture was moving, but the audience was always more impressed when he forcefully articulated his brilliant concepts.
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The Textbook Memoriam continues: "Indeed, his concepts of cardiovascular regulation are found in virtually every major textbook of physiology. They have become so familiar that their origin is sometimes forgotten".