Law named after:

• Charles Bell (1774 - 1842)
• Francois Magendie (1783 - 1855)

Studied spinal nerves in dogs. Separately found in 1811 (CB) and 1822 (FM) that:

• dorsal spinal roots are sensory
• ventral spinal roots are motor

Supported idea of localization of function in different parts of the brain.