On the restoration of co-ordinated movements after nerve-crossing, with interchange of function of the cerebral cortical centres / by Robert Kennedy.
- Kennedy, Robert, -1924.
- Date:
- 1901
Licence: In copyright
Credit: On the restoration of co-ordinated movements after nerve-crossing, with interchange of function of the cerebral cortical centres / by Robert Kennedy. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.
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![other experiments, tlie same exposure of nerves was made. The musculo-spiral was brought up from between the muscles and a suture of chromicised catgut placed through the nerve before its division, in order to ensure accurate reunion after division. The suture haviiig been placed, the nerve was divided and the ends In'ought together again Ijy tying the suture. The median, ulnar, and musculo- cutaneous nerves were then similarly exposed and a suture of chrom.icised catgut placed through each, the nerves divided, and accurately reunited by tying the sutures. Thus all the nerves supplying muscles below the elbow joint were divided and at once reunited as accurately as possible. The wound was then closed with silkworm gut sutures, and the entire linilj immoljilised as in the previous experiments. On tlie 13th day the plaster splint was removed and tlie wound was found absolutely healed, and the stitches were removed. By the 17th day the dog had not been using the limlj in v.'alking, and a distinct flexor contracture was commencing to form. A short plaster splint was applied to immobilise only the radio-carpal joint, and thus to prevent this contracture. On the 25th day the plaster si)lint was removed, as tlie dog was usually using the splinted leg in walking. On li])erating the dog it ran al)out, occasionally using the leg. By the 32nd day the short splint had to be again applied, as tlie dog had not l)een using the leg, and a contracture was again begimiing to develoji. On the 43rd day the plaster support was again removed, and a flannel Ijandage applied, which enabled the animal to run about, using its leg fliirly wefl. By the 50th day the animal was, as a rule, using the leg in walking, ljut thie muscles were still very weak, as not infrequently the leg doul^led under it, and the animal landed on its ladio-carpal joint. The plaster splint had to b-e applied on two suljsequent occasions, as the tendency to flexor contracture began to show. On the 94th day the plaster was removed, and tlie dog then used its limb in - walking, standing, and running, but on the following day tlie tendency was again not to use the limb. On 28th June, 1899, the physiological examination was made, the animal l)eing under the influence of chloroform and ether. The ])rain was exposed, and the sigmoid gyri stimulated. The centres for the hind-limbs were well defined, but the centres for flexion and extension of the fore-liml)S were not vfell defined, but tlie tendency was to get flexion nearer the middle line and extension by ap}jlying the electrodes furtlier out. The condition w'as exactly tlie same on the two .hemispheres. The seat of section was exposed, and stimulation of the central ends of the musculo-cutanerais, median, and ulnar nerves gave strong contractions in the flexor muscles, and stimulation of the peripheral segments of the same nerves gave contractions in the same muscles, but less strong. Stimulation of the central end of the musculo-spiral gave strong contractions in the extensor muscles of the paw, and stimulation of the VOL. CXCIV.—B, U](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21456513_0023.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
