Literary Notices. xiii 



widely different forms of brains in order to gain from exaggerated form 

 and specialized function more light upon the truths of morphology and 

 evolution, a principle which might profitably be employed more often 

 than has been customary. 



The nature of the paper is such as hardly to admit of adequate 

 summary. c. j. h. 



Trophic Nerves. ' 



1. The functional influence of a nerve cell on an adjacent cell is 

 always of a trophic nature, either catabolic or destructive, with aug- 

 mentation of tonus [contraction], or anabolic, restorative with diminu- 

 tion of tonus [relaxation]. 



2. The section of a nerve, however carefully executed, always 

 provokes in that nerve an irritative process which is feeble, it is true, 

 but of long duration. 



3. This irritation of degenerescence, due to the section, evokes 

 variable consequences varying with the functional nature of the nerve. 

 If the nerve conducts catabolic impulses, it produces in the cell with 

 which it is in contact destructive phenomena, long continued and per- 

 manent ; the cell atrophies. 



4. If on the contrary the cell transmits anabolic impulses [inhib- 

 itory nerves, dilators], it produces in the cell with which it is in contact 

 feeble but repeated and permanent plastic processes, which cause cellu- 

 lar hyperplasia with karyomitosis. In this case too there is little increase 

 of function. 



5. If the nerve sectioned contains both anabolic and catabolic 

 fibres, we find both processes side by side. 



6. The existence of trophic nerves in the sense just indicated can 

 no longer be reasonably denied. 



— Revue Neurologique. 



Ampnllo-ocixlo-motor Connections." 



The anatomical relations between the vestibular and the oculo- 

 motor nerves so far as known are indicated in the accompanying dia- 

 gram which we copy from Dr. Bonnier's paper. The diagram shows 

 the direct connections between Deiter's nidus and the internal nidus on 

 the one hand and the abducens nidus on the other hand ; also the indi- 

 rect connection between the former and the latter through the superior 



' Winkler. Les nerfs trophiques. Flandre medicale, 2 May, 1895. 



^ Bonnier, Pierre. Rapports entre I'appareil ampullaire de Foreille interne 

 et les centres oculo-moteurs. Rev. Neurol., Ill, 23, 15 Dec, 1895. 



