Observations on the physiology and pathology of the nervous system : retrospective address delivered at the twenty-seventh annual meeting of the British Medical Association in Liverpool, 1859 / by A.T. Houghton Waters.

  • Waters, A. T. Houghton (Alderman Thomas Houghton), 1826-1912
Date:
1860
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the physiology and pathology of the nervous system : retrospective address delivered at the twenty-seventh annual meeting of the British Medical Association in Liverpool, 1859 / by A.T. Houghton Waters. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    of ganglion-cells, and in part of nerve-fibres, the latter of which form longitudinal columns, surrounded by grey substance. No proof, however, exists that they pass continuously up to the brain, and Lenhossek maintains that they are communication - fibres between different ganglion-cells. If any of the fibres are continued on to the brain, they probably take part in the function of transmitting sensitive impressions. Although the posterior columns of the cord appear to have no share in trans- mitting sensitive impressions to the encephalon, yet there is proof that the fibres of the posterior roots pass through them to enter the grey substance; for, when a transverse section of these columns is made, the nerve-roots attached to the inferior segment are highly sensitive, a fact which seems to be due to some of the fibres of those roots passing downwards to reach the grey matter. This experimental observation entirely ac- cords with Lockhart Clarke’s anatomical researches previously alluded to. The general conclusions which may be deduced from experi- ments and observations which I cannot detail, are that the con- ductors of sensitive impressions, when they reach the spinal cord, either at once terminate in the grey matter, or else, pass- ing obliquely for a short distance, some upwards, and some downwards, ultimately terminate therein. Another important question, which seems not to have occu- pied much of the attention of physiologists, but which appears entirely set at rest by recent experiments, is that which relates to the decussation of the conductors of sensitive impressions in the spinal cord. It was the universally received opinion that no such decussa- tion took place, and therefore that the sensitive impressions must cross in the encephalon. Sir Charles Bell tried to discover the seat of decussation, and he imagined it to be above or near the crossing of the pyramids ; but he gave no proof in support of his idea. The section of a lateral half of the spinal cord is the experi- ment most calculated to give us proof of the decussation, or otherwise; and such an experiment has been frequently per- formed ; but unfortunately no observations, until recently, were made as to its effects on the sensibility of parts supplied with nerves behind the section. Schoeps Van Deen and Stilling found that sensibility was not destroyed on the side of section; B
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