35 



While an tixod coiiisis will he otiVri'd, emi)ryniogy ami /.()(il()j>v will be taught, 

 hut only animals found native to tlu' reiiion will he utilized. An opportunity 

 ■will l>e given to teaeliei's and others over tlii' State to study zoology in the field at 

 a lime when animal life is most al)undant and tlii' [jlaees of the interrelation of 

 oPiranisms apparent. 



The FtNCTioN.'^ ok thk Spinal Cori> from a Clinical Study. By (teo. A. 

 Talijkri'. 



Iti this day of great scientifie researeh I know of no subjeet that presents sueh 

 intense interest as some of the problems tiiat confront the neurologist. This in- 

 terest is not stimulated so much by the actual knowledge possessed as it is, per- 

 haps, by the mist that I'uvelops the subject. We might say that just enough is 

 known to create enthusiasm for greater researeh. 



The ditliculties that observers have encountered are manifold, and for this 

 very fact they have been led to be cautious many times in coming to a conclusion. 

 The very methods that seem necessary to obtain the facts may defeat the end de- 

 sired. The oi)erator is never quite certain how near he has approached the nor- 

 mal condition. The artificial means that are often used must necessarily be rough 

 imitations of the natural state. Let us take an illustration : 



If the cerebral lobes of a frog are removed the animal seems to perform no 

 Tiiovements except as a result of an external stimulus. The animal remains in a 

 quiescent stage for hours and even days at a time. But if the proper stimulations 

 are brought about the animal seems to possess the power of performing as compli- 

 cated movements as a perfectly intact frog. There is a want of spontaneity. 

 This would show that the seat of the will must be in the removed parts. If, how- 

 ever, the animal is kept alive for some time after the operation, we find that there 

 are movements which point (|uite strongly to the guidance of an intelligent will. 

 Some observers have found that if the frog is kept alive long enough it will catch 

 flies and other food that comes in its way, and it is even known to bury itself in 

 the earth at the ap|)r()a(di of winter. 



So from this we might have some doubt about our first conclusion. We prob- 

 ably would be led to think the shock that necessarily follows such an o[)eration 

 may to a certain extent give us abnormal i)henomena, and really be a defeat of 

 the normal condition. I have several times in my own observations looked upon 

 the results with some apprehension. This furnishes us with an example of the 

 manv difficulties which are to be encountered in laboratorv investigations. We 



