BEOWN-SEQTTARD ON THE CENTEAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. 403 



the tail stops for a while all the movements which, under ordinary 

 circumstances, persist for a considerable time. The effect, therefore, 

 cannot be attributed to disturbance through the blood-vessels ; it 

 appears rather to be due to an altered molecular condition of the 

 nervous centres resulting from the blow, and more or less persistent. 

 We have heard a well known and very accomplished physician ob- 

 serve that he believes in an " immaterial pathology." No doubt the 

 term pathology implies the notion of some change of structure 

 recognisable by the senses, and hence the phrase " immaterial pa- 

 thology" is a contradiction in terms : it nevertheless, to our mind, 

 conveys the idea intended ; it seems to us to imply that, in many 

 diseases (and we would specify particularly those of the nervous 

 system where peculiar psychical conditions are accompanied by 

 spasm, as in the " Tanzwuth," chorea, hysteria, " Revivals," &o.) 

 symptoms may arise, from changes in the molecular arrangement, or 

 from altered polarity of the nervous centres, or of the nerves them- 

 selves, and which are so far material changes ; while they must be re- 

 garded as immaterial, in so far as such changes must be for ever and 

 completely beyond the range of the perception of the human senses. 

 That a shock conveyed to the central nervous system through its peri- 

 pheral nerves, should, with the instantaneousness of a lightning flash, 

 lock in insensibility and motionlessness the entire frame of the crea- 

 ture, cannot, to our satisfaction, be accounted for through the action 

 of the vaso-motor trunks upon the blood-vessels, any more than the 

 opposite class of phenomena detailed in the following case : — - 



" Case 44. On rising in the morning, a lad 14 years old was heard by his father 

 making a great disturbance in his bed-room, who, rushing in to know the cause, 

 found his son in his shirt, violently agitated, speaking incoherently, and breaking to 

 pieces the furniture. Mr. — ^ caught the lad in his arms and threw him back°on 

 the bed, when he at once became composed, but did not seem conscious of the mis- 

 chief he had done. He said that on getting out of bed he had felt something odd, 

 but that he was very well and thought that he might have had a frightful dream, 

 although he could not recollect it. I was immediately sent for, and the lad ordered 

 to remain in bed until I had seen him. About five hours after I found the lad lying 

 in bed, reading some amusing book ; his tongue clean, pulse regular, countenance 

 calm and cheerful. He said he was quite well and wished to get up, but that his 

 father had ordered him to remain in bed until I had seen him. I was informed be- 

 fore I went up to his bed-room, that the lad had never before been heard to com- 

 plain of disturbed dreams, or walked in his sleep, or exhibited any epileptic symp- 

 toms, and that his general health had been good and all his functions regular, 

 rinding the patient free from any apparent disease and that he had eaten with good 

 appetite, and no disturbance, his usual breakfast, I desired him to get up. When 

 sitting up in his bed he drew on his stockings ; but on putting his feet on the floor 

 and standing up, his countenance instantly changed, the jaw became violently con- 

 vulsed, and he was about to rush forward when I seized and pushed him back on 

 his bed. He was at once calm, but looked surprised and asked what was the matter 

 with him. He assured me that he had felt no pain, had slept well, but that he felt 

 odd when he stood up. I found that he had been fishing on the preceding day and 

 having entangled his hue had taken off his shoes and stockings and waded into the 

 river to disengage it ; but he said he had not cut his feet or met with any other ac- 

 cident. To ascertain this point I made him draw off his stockings and examined 

 his legs minutely. Not the slightest scratch or injury could be seen ; but on hold- 

 ing up the right great toe with my finger and thumb to examine the sole of that 



