RECENT VIEWS WITH REFERENCE TO THE STRUC- 

 TURE OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM.' 



Prof. Heinrich Obersteiner. 



The nervous .system, in distinction from all other organs of 

 the animal body, occupies a peculiar position. This applies 

 both to the central system and to the peripheral system, 

 anatomically and physiologically inseparably connected with it. 

 Most organs have definite functions which may be performed in 

 the same, or nearly the same manner by even the smallest por- 

 tions of the organ. W^e may assume that every liver cell partici- 

 pates in the elaboration of bile, that every mu.scle fibre contracts 

 as a result of the stimulus applied to it. But what a diversity 

 t)f function has been indicated for the nervous system ! Yet we 

 know that the whole physiological activity of the organism is 

 directed and regulated by the nervous system ; to this may be 

 added certain peculiar functions, in fact, the highest and noblest 

 functions of the whole organism. 



It is, moreover, conceivable that this circumstance finds its 

 expression in the complexity of the inner structure of the ner- 

 vous organs. The difficulty, therefore, of securing definite 

 knowlege of these relations is materially increased. From this 

 it follows that in the anatomical treatment of the nervous sys- 

 tem we meet with the unpleasant necessity, even in text-books 

 on the systematic anatomy of the central nervous system, of en- 

 tering into the discussion of fine details visible only with the 

 microscope. And conversely histology must contain topograph- 

 ical anatomical facts, while, in the case of bones for mstance, it 

 describes their structure in general, but not individual bones, 

 their position and form. 



^Translated from " Naturwissenchaftlichen Rundschau," Jahig. VII, 

 No. I and 2, by C. Judson Herrick, Professor of the Natural Sciences, 

 Ottawa University. 



