Animal physiology / by John G. M'Kendrick.

  • John Gray McKendrick
Date:
1877
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Animal physiology / by John G. M'Kendrick. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    almost completely bisected into two lateral halves by a deep longitudinal fissure; and the surface of the former is divided by a considerable number of tortuous furrows, nearly an inch deep, into convolutions. As the gray matter is extended into these furrows, its quantity is thus vastly increased* At the base of the cerebrum, and connected with it, there are two large ganglionic masses of gray and white matter, called the corpora striata j behind these, other two bodies of a similar nature, the optic thalamij and still farther back, four bodies, two on each side, the corpora quad-- rige7ninai All these parts of the brain are connected with each other by numerous nerve fibres. The fibres from the spinal cord pass upwards in the medulla oblongata; those from the posterior part of the cord going chiefly to the cerebellum, while those from the anterior pass chiefly to the cerebrum. In the cerebrum^ cerebellum, and ganglia, we also find fibres running from their anterior to their posterior ends, while other fibres run transversely, and unite corre- sponding parts on opposite sides of the brain. Thus there is evidently community of function. 168. Functions of different parts of the Brain,— The functions of these different parts may be briefly stated to be as follows : (i) the cerebruin is the seat of sensation, volition, emotion^ and of those intellectual powers which con- stitute Mind ; (2) the cerebelluin is probably the regulator of muscular movements ; (3) the corpora striata are great centres of voluntary movement, not of volition, but of the nervous mechanism by which, when we will with the cerebrum, the influences are sent along the spinal cord to the various muscles ; (4) the optic thalanii perform a similar function of collecting and transmitting impressions with regard to sen- sation ; (5) the corpora quadrigemina receive impressions by the optic nerves from the eyes, and transmit these to the cerebrum, where there is then the consciousness of sight; and (6) the medulla oblongata, and an adjoining part called the pons Varolii, are the seat of the nervous influences which regulate swallowing, breathing, and other important invol- untary movements. The parts of the brain last mentioned
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