114 Journal of Comparative Neurology. 



presentation ; it is easy to see that much ' modern neurology ' is 

 merely old concepts in new words and that the best advantages 

 of modern neurology are missed by those who think that the 

 neurone-theory pure and simple will bring the much needed sal- 

 vation. Many important facts are forgotten over the generali- 

 zations drawn from them. His and Forel are hardly read by 

 those initiated in the necessary generalizations from their publi- 

 cation and their eminently sound methods of work are pushed 

 into the shadow by the schematic silhouette work. 



The following sketches partly review certain facts not 

 usually considered in the already numerous reviews on the 

 ' neurone-theory, ' partly they outline a standpoint suggested 

 by data similar to those which led to the neurone-theory, a 

 point of view from which the study of the nervous system re- 

 ceives a certain order, without persistently ignoring the valuable 

 lessons which His and Forel have given. The replacing of 

 Meynert's time-honored plan of the brain by one more in har- 

 mony with modern views, especially those suggested by work 

 in pathology of the nervous system, has proved very stimulat- 

 ing both for instruction and for a working-hypothesis ; and the 

 methods of observation and of reasoning which it suggests may 

 prove fruitful to others. 



The Historical Development of the Neurone-Theory. 



In view of the number of accounts of the historical devel- 

 opment of the neurone-theory, among which I mention Wald- 

 eyer's, Lenhossek's, in the English literature Schaefer's, and in 

 our own Baker's, Minot's, and especially Barker's, \vq might 

 limit ourselves to the enumeration of the principal facts which 

 constitute the difference from earlier views and help to estab- 

 lish the new conception. It seems, however, well to consider 

 certain sides of the history of the neurone-theory frequently 

 overlooked ; and to give careful summaries of the publications 

 in question ; after that we point out the objections which arc 

 raised against the current formulation of the theory. 



As a typical statement of the views just before the neu- 



