Editokiai., Problems of CoDiparativc Nctirology. yy 



In summing up his results, Golgi emphasises the view 

 that the nerve fibres within the central organ are not isolated, 

 but give evidence of being related to a number of cells. 

 This conception excludes that of sharply limited and localized 

 areas governing a given function. 



An important theoretical conclusion which apparently 

 does not grow out of the discussion, Golgi expresses as 

 follows: " Inasmuch as I am convinced that what we con- 

 ventionally term soul is merely the interplay of the correlated 

 activities of the various parts of the central nervous system, 

 an activity which becomes more complicated (more genuinely 

 psychical) the more highly differentiated and complex the 

 component parts become, it not only seems to me that this 

 di&tinctinction (between psycho-motor and psycho-sensory 

 centres) is superfluous,' but I incline to the assumption that 

 no essential difterence exists between the individual activities 

 of the various cell-clusters in separate provinces. "( ') 



In the sphere of experimental physiology interest still 

 centres largely in the localization of functions in sharply 

 limited areas of the cortex. Against the precise and positive 

 statements of Munk innumerable objections, mostly of a 

 negative character, have been raised. The portion of Munk's 

 results which has been most severely handled is his claim 

 that it is possible to establish the existence of sharply defined 

 cortical areas in the occipital lobe of one side corresponding 

 to diagonally opposite areas of the retina o'f the opposite eye. 

 A very direct and complete apparent substantiation of this 

 view is afforded by the investigations of Obregia(-) who, 

 under the guidance of Munk, conducted a series of experi- 

 ments upon the motions of the eye in response to irritation of 

 various parts of the visual sphere. Obregia carried on all of 

 these experiments without the aid of anaesthetics, under the 



1 For list of Golgi's papers see end of his summary in Anatomischer Anzeiger, 

 No. IS, i8gi. 



2 A. Ouregia, Ueber Augenbewegungen auf Sehsphgeren-R^izung, Archiv. f. Anat. 

 und Phys., Jahrgarig 1890; Phys. Abth,, p. 260, 



