Literary Notices. 73 



Klein, Fr. Das Wesen des Reizes. Ein Beitrag zur Physiologic der Sinnesor- 

 gane, inbesondere des Auges. Arch. f. [Anat. u.) Physiol., 1904, 305-342. 

 A fundamental attribute of protoplasm is that it is stimulated only 

 by changes in the normal or usual external condition. The same thing 

 applies to the nerve endings of the retina, hence certain conditions 

 are possible under which we are blind ("rest blindness"). Two such 

 conditions inducing "rest blindness" have been investigated. These 

 are (a) hindering as much as possible every eye movement, (b) illumi- 

 nating the eye from an equally lighted ("reizlose") surface. The au- 

 thor thinks it probable that only an increase in the intensity of light 

 can act as a stimulus, never decrease. R. p. 



Rothmann, M. Ueber die Leitungsbahnen des Beriihungsreflexes unter Be- 

 rilcksichtigung der Hautreflexe des Menschen. Arch. f. {Anat. u.) Phys- 

 iol., 1904, 256-270. 



In dogs and cats the conduction in either ascending or descend- 

 ing direction of the impulses in Munk's "contact" reflexes of the ex- 

 tremities, is not confined to a single sensory or motor fiber tract. The 

 ascending impulses of the reflex are conducted in two fiber tracts : one 

 in the anterior and one in the posterior column. There are also two 

 paths for the descending impulses : the pyramidal tracts and Mona- 

 Kow's bundle. The "contact" reflex of lower animals agrees in many 

 points with the skin reflex in man. R. p. 



Birukoff, B. Zur Theorie der Galvanotaxis. Arch. f. {Anat. u.) Physiol., 

 1904, 271-296. 



Galvanotaxis a combination of two factors : a physiological (gen- 

 eral irritability) on the one hand, and a purely physical (kataphoric 

 action on the other. r. p. 



Muskens, L. J. J. Studies on the ^Maintenance of the Equilibrium of Mo- 

 tion and its Disturbances, so-called "Forced Movements." Jour, of Phy- 

 siol., 1904, 31, 204-221. 



Experiments producing forced movements after lesions of the cen- 

 tral nervous system were performed on octopods, selachians (Acan- 

 thias, Scyllium), frogs, cats and rabbits. The conclusions with refer- 

 ence to lower vertebrates are : i. That rolling after unilateral lesion 

 of the hind-brain, and circus movement after unilateral lesion of the 

 base of the mid-brain appear to be, in lower vertebrates, fundamental 

 phenomena, esjjecially localized in these parts; 2. That rolling to the 

 impaired side and circus movement to the non-impaired side are phe- 

 nomena narrowly related; 3. There is no reason to believe in any 

 diametrical opposition of forced movements of an irritating and of a 

 paralyzing nature. In cats and rabbits unilateral lesions of the middle 

 and upper cerebellar peduncle and unilateral (partial more than com- 



