CHAPTER VI 



THE FOLLOWERS OF ETIENNE GEOFFROY SAINT-IHLAIRE 



GEOFFROY'S theories were not generally accepted by his 

 contemporaries, but his methods had considerable influence, 

 especially in France, where many made essays in pure 

 morphology. 



His chief follower was Serres, who is mentioned indeed in 

 the Philosophic anatomique as a fellow-worker. Serres was 

 primarily a medical anatomist ; his interest lay in human 

 anatomy and embryology, normal and pathological. 



His best early work was an Anatomic compare? du cerveau 

 (1824-26), which met with a flattering reception from Cuvier. 1 

 He laid great stress upon the development of the brain and 

 spinal cord in the different classes, and was quick to point 

 out analogies not only between adult but also between 

 embryonic structures. He paid much attention to cases 

 of correlation, and noted a great many; he observed, for 

 instance, a constant relation between the development of the 

 spinal cord and of the corpora quadrigemina, and between 

 the size of the corpora quadrigemina and the volume of the 

 optic nerves and eyes. In this the influence of Cuvier is 

 unmistakable. 



Serres' early theoretical views are to be found in a series 

 of papers in the Annales des Sciences naturelles? under the 

 general title Reclierches d 1 Anatomic transcendante, sur les Lois 

 de Organogenic applique es d I' anatomic pathologique, also 

 published separately. We follow these papers in our expose 

 of Serres' doctrine, reserving for a future chapter (Chap. XII.) 

 the consideration of his matured views of thirty years later. 



1 Mem. Acad. Sd., iv., pp. cclxxxiv.-ccci., 1824. 



- Ann, Set. Nat., xi., xii., 1827 ; xvi., 1829 ; xxi., 1830. 



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