xxvi Journal of Comparative Neurology. 



great pain), while in the latter an acute form of this affection may 

 rapidly set in. 



In cases where the ischiatic nerve has been cut, as in the guinea-pig 

 for the purpose of inducing epilepsy, the limb is paralyzed and becomes 

 inflamed, swollen and discolored. In a short time spontaneous sores 

 appear, and the toes are lost, leaving a deformed stump, which, never- 

 theless, ultimately heals and remains well, evidently because of a restor- 

 ation of nervous connections. 



A case where all the soft parts of an arm had been accidentally cut 

 and prevented from healing by first intention illustrates the same point. 

 Only the A. interossea were uninjured, and decubitus resulted in a few 

 days, followed by swelling of the fingers. The hypertrophy of the joints 

 seems to have been persistent. This the author ascribes to the section 

 of the nerves. 



In the case of the guinea-pig before referred to, there develops on 

 the neck on the same side as the injured leg a so-called epileptogene 

 zone or area. In this region the skin becomes gradually more sensitive, 

 until finally the hair falls out, and pinching the skin in this area gives 

 rise to epileptiform symptoms. The disturbances in the skin bear an 

 unmistakable resemblance to the accompan^ying changes in the leg. 



These trophic disturbances certainly are not due to loss of sensation, 

 but to reflex modification in the innervation. 



In this connection the many cases may be noted where a great 

 mental excitement (fear, anger, etc.) produced functional derangement 

 of the visceral organs. A case referred to by the author exhibited not 

 only liver-disturbance, but albuminuria and other kidney aflection. The 

 author suggests that the nervous excitement was so great as to actually 

 destroy the epithelial cells of the kidney, which, accordingly, had an 

 unusual shrivelled appearance. 



Gouty people often afford illustrations of trophic disturbance result- 

 ing from nervous excitement. Gout itself is regarded as a neuropathy 

 by the author. The following diseases may also result from neurotic 

 causes: erythema, erysipelas, urticaria, herpes, prurigo, eczema, pem- 

 phigus, pityriasis, psoriasis, acne, furunculi and lupus. 



The fact that weak and nervous people lose the hair or become gray 

 upon bilaterally symmetrical areas of head and face points to a nervous 

 origin of baldness, etc. The symmetrical degeneration of the body is 

 but the converse of the law of symmetrical bilateral growth, and both 

 are to be referred to the bilateral nervous control. Such control can 

 only be explained by the assumption of nerves charged with the nutri- 

 tive function, /.c. trophic nerves. How, then, does it happen that 

 trophic nerves have never been demonstrated anatomically.'' The author 

 answers that it is because we ha\e not been clear as to what was sought, 

 that the real trophic nerves have long been known. 



The nervous system, in this view, is rather an interdependent reflex 

 complex in Avhicb every part exerts its influence than an automatic 



