clxxxii Journal of Comparative Neurology. 



value, as confirming the accepted teachings of Wernicke as to the 

 area representing speech, vision, and also the subdivision made by 

 him into two types of cortical and subcortical alexia. 



Bechterew 1 calls attention to the studies of his pupil, J. Meyer, 

 showing the possibility of a new cortical localization. This writer has 

 found that there are points in the cerebral cortex excitation of which 

 produces contraction of the sphincters. The cortical centre acting 

 upon the anal sphincter is slightly behind the crucial sulcus, on the 

 external posterior portion of the sigmoid gyrus. That acting upon 

 the vesical sphincter is in the external region of the posterior segment 

 of the sigmoid gyrus, immediately behind the outer extremity of the 

 crucial sulcus. 



The presentation of a case of stuture of the median nerve to the 

 French Academy of Medicine by Berger started an interesting dis- 

 cussion on the method of the restoration of function in severed nerves. 

 Brown-Sequard, Laborde, Herzen, and Hodge have all taken 

 sides either for or against direct reunion of the severed nerve fibres. 

 The balance of opinion seems to be that the placing of the severed 

 ends in juxtaposition simply assists the process of regeneration by pre- 

 venting the formation of a cicatricial mass between the severed nerve- 

 ends, which would prevent the new granulation tissue starting from 

 the distal end reaching and occupying the sheath of the proximal end. 

 The only portion of the proximal end that does not degenerate is the 

 sheath of Schwann, and it is by this new tissue growing from the dis- 

 tal portion that the gradual recuperation is explained. Unfortunately, 

 this does not explain the cases where the restoration of function is 

 immediate, and therefore some of the observers claim that both 

 methods may exist — the regeneration of all the fibres in the proximal 

 end when the suture is tardy, and immediate union in those cases 

 where the nerve-ends are brought into immediate opposition. 



Heath 2 and Moullin 3 each report a case of nerve grafting. 

 The former employed two inches and a half of the posterior tibial 

 nerve of an amputated limb to fill the gap in the ulnar nerve. Two 

 months later there had been no return of function. In the latter case 

 the sciatic nerve of a young retriever was employed to unite the sev- 





1 Revue internat. bibliographie , Beyrouth, May 35, 1893. 

 2 TAe Lancet, London, May 20, 1893. 

 3 Ibid., June 24, 1893. 



