256 Journal of Comparative Neurology. 



nection with the ridges of the myehc cinerea (§127). The differ- 

 ence is far reaching and Hterally radical. As with the myelic 

 sulci, columns, cornua and commissures, the folds of the axilla, 

 the aspects of the thigh, the tubercles of the cervical vertebrae, 

 the sides of the stomach and other viscera, the valves of the 

 heart, there is exemplified one of the most undesirable features 

 of the pernicious influence of anthropotomy upon anatomy at 

 large. ^ 



§133, Upon this subject the position of the German com- 

 mittee in 1895 is indicated by the following translation of pass- 

 ages from His, ('95, 109-110): "As mentioned above, Herr 

 von Kolliker has proposed replacing generally the words anterior 

 and posterior by ventralis and dorsalis where the relations to 

 comparative anatomy, and especially to the anatomy of domes- 

 ticated animals, render it desirable ; that is, where the terms 

 anterior and posterior apply only to the upright attitude of man. 

 * * * We do not deny the merit of such strict usage, but 

 the commission has not been able to decide upon its adoption. 

 It involves all kinds of difficulties and inconveniences. *. * * 

 We leave time to determine whether or not we shall depart from 

 the traditional usage associated with the erect attitude of man.'' 



Had most of the members of the commission been investi- 

 gators and teachers of zootomy rather than of anthropotomy, 

 there would probably have been no hesitation in adopting terms 

 that apply equally well to all vertebrates in any attitude. Let 

 us hope that the distinguished President of the Commission 

 may live to see his recommendations unanimously adopted.- 



§134. I close this discussion of the differences between 

 the recommendations of the American and German committees 

 with the remark that, strictly speaking, not one of the words 

 in the first column of Table HI can be imputed to us. All 

 were in use for longer or shorter periods prior to 1880. Com- 



^ "The influence of the nomenclature of human anatomy, reflected down- 

 ward upon the dawning structures of the lower animals which culminate in 

 man, is nowhere more obstructive to a plain and true indication of the nature 

 of parts than in regard to those of the brain." Owen, '6i, I, 294, note. 



