the frank–starling law is named after the two physiologists, otto frank and ernest henry starling. however, neither frank nor starling was the first to describe the relationship between the end-diastolic volume and the regulation of cardiac output. the first formulation of the law was theorized by the italian physiologist dario maestrini, who on december 13, 1914, started the first of 19 experiments that led him to formulate the ""legge del cuore" ".