334 Journal of Comparative Neurology. 



upon proposed changes and new terms at intervals of three 

 years. ^ 



§269. Although France and Great Britain were repre- 

 sented upon the general committee, no members from those 

 countries were present at the signing of the report and of the 

 declaration against the efforts of the American committees, 

 April 19, 1895 [Anat. Ans., Erganz., X, 162). Furthermore, as 

 frankly stated by Prof. His ('95, 6-8), some of the French cor- 

 respondents preferred a different method of procedure, and the 

 English commission had not reported at all (§170). The im- 

 probability of universal and unqualified assent upon the part 

 of British anatomists is indicated by the following remarks of a 

 Glasgow professor (Cleland and Mackay, '96, 3) : 



" With regard to the naming of individual structures it may be 

 noted that more than one attempt has been made to impose uniformity 

 of nomenclature by the arbitrary authority of an individual or com- 

 mittee.- It may be doubted if any such attempt can possibly be suc- 

 cessful. The " Nomina Anatomica " of His ('95, a) is most impor- 

 tant for consultation ; but the adoption of its recommendations in 

 this country (Great Britain) would, in a large number of instances, in- 

 volve the abandonment of good names in general use for others whose 

 advantages are not obvious." 



§270. Through its secretary the German committee de- 

 clared (Krause, '91 ; §158, 7) that it intended to be "conser- 

 vative in its action." Now conscii^atisin is notoriously difficult 

 to define, and in respect to nomenclature its degrees may equal 

 in number those who have opinions upon the subject. . But 



^ So far as appears in the oflicial record [Anat. Anz. XII, Erganzungsheft, 

 1896)00 reference to nomenclature was made at the last meeting of the Anatom- 

 ische Gesellschaft. Curiously enough, however, the title of a paper (pp. 153- 

 154) by Bardeleben, who signed the antimononym declaration of the "Nomen- 

 clatur Commission" (^147), is " Ueber das Praefrontale una Postfrontale des 

 Menschen". I am not disposed to cite these two words as adjectival locatives 

 and 3S precedents for postcava etc. (?i8i) ; but they are excellent mononymic 

 adjectives used as substantives, (§115) and they do not occur in the official list 

 adopted by the committee of which Bardeleben was a member. 



^ No such attempt is known to me. The very notion savors of ecclesiasticism 

 rather than of science. At the most, individuals have set certain fashions, more 

 or less commendable and permanent, while committees have made recommend- 

 ations which even their own members may disregard when their information is 

 increased or their views are modified. 



