Literary Notices. cxxxvii 



toff and others is a genuine bilateral descent of fibres from one hemi- 

 sphere. 



The second paper 1 presents the following conclusions from the 

 study of extirpations and other experimental lesions performed on 

 over 60 cats : 



The formation of the descending system of the anterior, anterio- 

 lateral and lateral columns can be seen in the mesencephalon. 



There is a marked decussation of the lateral and anterio-lateral 

 column fibres in the mesencephalon. The anterior column fibres 

 (post. -longitudinal bundle) appear to be direct fibres. Decussation is, 

 however, not limited to this region ; it occurs throughout the bulbo- 

 spinal system. 



Decussation of the pyramidal system is not limited to the cervical 

 region; it occurs in the higher segments. As in the preceding sys- 

 tem, so in this, there is a direct path — the direct lateral pyramidal 

 tract, and there is evidence of direct fibres in the higher segments. 



There is bilateral distribution of both systems of fibres, but there 

 is no evidence whatever of recrossed fibres. 



No fibres get into the opposite pyramid by way of the corpus 

 callosum. 



Stimulation with absinthe shows that the bulbo-spinal centres (in- 

 cluding the cerebellum) alone, can produce a series of clonic fits, dif- 

 fering from the cortical in the much slower rhythm of the contrac- 

 tions. But from the complete section of the cord experiments it 

 seems improbable that the cord alone can be excited by absinthe. 



The author concludes that the maximal effect of absinthe is pro- 

 duced when the motor area is present, and that the impulses gene- 

 rated there are distributed by the pyramidal system in the way de- 

 scribed, the maximal effect crossing to the opposite side, the question 

 of unilaterality or bilaterality being one of degree as shown by the 

 differences between the initial and the subsequent fits, and as borne 

 out by the relative sizes of the crossed and uncrossed tracts. 



The epilepsy due to absinthe indicates that there are probably 

 very many epileptiform attacks in man which are toxic. 



1 Boyce, Rubert. A'Contribution to the Study of Descending Degenera- 

 tions in the Brain and Spinal Cord, and of the Seat of Origin and Paths of 

 Conduction of the Fits in Absinthe Epilepsy. 



