[To the Centennial of Norman Holter (19141983)]

The article is devoted to the centennial of the founder of ambulatory ECG monitoring Norman Jeffrey Holter (1914-1983). It contains brief history of the scientists family, and depiction of his own educational way from magister of chemistry and physics to specialist in nuclear research. His activity during World War II, research related to impact of nuclear tests on environment after the war is also described. The fact is stressed that N. Holter was organizer and first president of Society of Nuclear Medicine. But most prominent contribution of N. Holter was elaboration of the method of long-term ECG monitoring of freely active patients - the method which was later named Holter Monitoring (HM). The article also contains data of first clinical trials of HM systems and stresses contribution of Holter team-mates and colleagues (B. Del Mar, G. Kennedy, S. Stern and others) in their conduct. It shows technical and ideological evolution of HM systems from large apparatuses weighting 40 kg to modern portable devices capable of collecting, storing and processing huge amounts of information, transmitting it over internet to any distance. Nontriviality and serendipity of N. Holters approach to obtaining novel unpredictable knowledge allowed him to realize his numerous talents and abilities.