Buckmaster's Elements of animal physiology / by John Angell.

  • Angell, John
Date:
1866
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Buckmaster's Elements of animal physiology / by John Angell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    weight of the entire brain, and is about one-eighth the weight of the cerebrum. The Functions of the Cerebellum are by no means satisfactorily determined. It is supposed to regulate or co-ordinate Yoluntary imiscular action; that is, to combine and harmonize the separate actions of the various muscles of the body, so as to produce one resultant movement. Animals in whom the cerebellum is diseased or injured lose the power of regulating their muscular movements. It does not seem to possess any power of sensation, injury to it apparently producing no pain. When the cerebellum of a bird or other animal is partially removed, or a cut made into its substance, it loses all power of regulatmg its move7nents, and will walk backwards or sideways, or rotate on one leg, or roll over, or perform almost any kind of abnormal move- ment, showing that probably, in some way or other, the cerebellum presides over or governs the voluntary muscular movements. The animals appear to retain their consciousness, memory, and power of volition during the experiment. '\\Ten the last portions of the cerebellui7i have been removed, the animal loses all power of standing, walking, springing, or flying. Man, in whom the cerebellu7n is more la7gely developed than it is in any of the lower animals, possesses the power of perfonning the most varied, complex, and delicate movements. In some forms of insanity the patient incessantly occupies himself in turning round and round; this probably results from disease of this organ. Phrenologists assign this organ as the seat of sexual love, in support of which they produce much evidence. The Convolutions,. Folds, or Gyri are ap-