[History of electrophysiological investigations of organs of hearing]

Development of electrophysiological examinations of organ of hearing was examined, starting from Luigi Galvani's discovery of electrical activity of biological tissue, through experimental research aiming at localization of cortical hearing centres. The studies by Wever and Bray, as well as, Ruben's team of Baltimore underline the significance of potentials expressing electrical activity of cochlea and acoustic nerve fibres. Pioneer studies of Hallowel Davis (called "father of ERA studies"--Electric Response Audiometry) and his first wife, Paulina. Several other studies done by his research team were mentioned. Besing on these papers and papers of some other authors, a short description of slow cortical potentials and cochlea potentials was done as they were discovered and introduced to clinical tests. The discussion covered also investigations of Sohmer and Feinmesser, as well, as, those of Jewett and Willistone on systematization of structures generating waves in auditory brain stem responses. The paper is concluded with the description of the recent classification of auditory potentials induced by an acoustic stimulus. The discussion on the development and progress of electrophysiological studies of the organ of hearing is concluded with some remarks on otoacoustic cochlea emission discovered by David Kemp of London in 1978.