A letter addressed to the Earl of Rosse, President-Elect of the Royal Society / by Marshall Hall.
- Marshall Hall
- Date:
- October 1848
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A letter addressed to the Earl of Rosse, President-Elect of the Royal Society / by Marshall Hall. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![The idea of an Incident Nerve, in essential relation through the Spinal Marrow with certain Reflex muscular Nerves, did not exist in Anatomy. The idea that the pneumogastric nerve exists in this es¬ sential relation through the medulla oblongata with the diaphragmatic and the intercostal nerves—the idea, and the fact—are equally new in Anatomical Science The idea that there is a System of such incident nerves in essential relation through the spinal marrow with muscular nerves, is, I repeat, new in Anatomy. Yet the detection of all this has resulted from my in¬ vestigation 1 May I not ask—Is there any thing like this in the pages of the Philosophical Transactions, or in the history of anatomy ? I now come to Physiology. The idea of a Reflex Function of the Spinal Marrow ; the idea of a Reflex physiological act did not exist in Physiology S Yet the whole Class of the physiological acts, or of the functions, of Ingestion and of Egestion, in the animal ceconomy is of this character ! The act of deglutition is a Reflex act, accomplished through the medium of an incident nerve in essential relation with the spinal marrow and with certain muscular nerves, by the agency of the vis nervosa, according to its Reflex law of action ! Motor power, anatomy, physiology, all have resulted from my investigation. The same remarks may be made in regard to the acts of Respiration, which are now understood for the first time. The same remarks relate to all those acts which conduce to the preservation of the individual and the perpetuation of the race. ]. A Reflex action of the vis nervosa ; 2. A Reflex Anatomy consisting of 1. Incident, Excitor, 2. Reflex, Motor, Nerves, in essential relation with 3. The Spinal Centre ;](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b30345571_0011.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
