288 Journal of Comparative Neurology. 



The Utilization of the 'Neurone-Theory' for Neuro-pathology. 



While these data of histology and of experimental pathol- 

 ogy cannot help being of ultimate importance for the establish- 

 ment of a more accurate neuropathology which would be use- 

 ful for clinical purposes, a candid reader of the foregoing pages 

 will recognize that not enough is really gained yet to entitle 

 us to the proud statement that the neurone-theory has revolu- 

 tionized neuropathology and solved its great problem, the cor- 

 relation of physiological and histological data. 



In treating of the relation between the neurone-theory and 

 disease we must recognize that the mere speaking of neurones 

 instead af the old 'fibers and cells ' is a relatively insignificant 

 change ; a concession which old established clinical and anatom- 

 cal neuropathology is making to the new nomenclature and 

 stand-point of histogenesis. We cannot even say that the cell- 

 theory was quite a stranger in neuropathology before 1887 ; at 

 least as far as the study of nerve tissue as a tissue is concerned, 

 or when we consider Gowers' view of the motor paths. On 

 turning the pages of a modern text-book of pathology one might 

 even suspect that merely a correction of details had been the 

 result of the revolution. 



This is evidently not the opinion of men like Andriezen, 

 who favors us already with a ' complete ' outline of the patho- 

 logical anatomy of psychoses, or of Cajal and Duval and their 

 followers, who unveil the silhouette pictures of sleep, hypnosis, 

 hysteria, etc. One would think that we have it all in black 

 cells now ; yet, in the main, the new diagrams are merely new 

 editions of the old ones. The medically important recent dis- 

 coveries are the recognition of the nature of the spinal ganglia, 

 and the description of the fillet as a cerebral afferent apparatus. 

 In view of the position taken by Gowers in 1886 the 'two 

 neurones of the voluntary motor apparatus ' are hardly a new 

 addition and even the fillet might be claimed as a preneuronic 

 acquisition. The further changes are largely changes in names. 

 The connection of the direct cerebellar tract with the cells of 

 Clarke's columns is described by Gowers on page 121 of his 



