Critical Digest. lix 



attempt to demonstrate physiologically and anatomically the cortical 

 areas and sensori-motor mechanisms. On the whole, v. Monakow cor- 

 roborates Tamburini m this and he adduces facts in favor ot the gen- 

 eral principle that motor (efferent) elements are grouped in smaller areas 

 within the broader areas which receive afferent elements. The prob- 

 lem of restitution of cortical functions is acribed to a more perfect 

 utilization of the remaining nerve-elements both of the lower centers and 

 the remaining cortex (perhaps with further growth of collaterals?). Vitz- 

 ou's claim of extensive regeneration of cortex is discredited. Flechsig's 

 association-centers are taken with much reserve, especially the poster- 

 ior and middle ones; concerning the frontal lobes v. Monakow is in- 

 clined to see in them with Hitzig, etc., an organ of importance for 

 psychic processes. 



Tlie third division of the introductory part deals with the general 

 pathology of the central nervous system (p. 220 267). The short 

 sketch of the pathological changes in the nerve-cells is hardly up to 

 date (nor is the one of the neuroglia quite satisfactory) both in de- 

 scription and through the absence of a clear statement concerning the 

 process of various primary lesions with their local reactions. The 

 voice of v. Monakow becomes however clearly heard in the descrip- 

 tion of the secondary degenerations to which he devotes p. 237-267. 

 This is a chapter which must be studied by everyone and contains a 

 vast amount of essential data hardly known outside the Gudden 

 school. 



In the description of the secondary degeneration of central nerve- 

 fibers^ V. Monakow speaks of a transformation of the axis cylinders 

 into naked neurites and later into sclerotic fibrils (p. 239). The de- 

 generation of the cells is more likely to occur in the young and prob- 

 ably where there are not many collaterals which might have escaped 

 the fate of the fiber (an argument used by Mahaim for the explanation 

 of conflicting findings in the red nucleus). We cannot agree with 

 V. Monakow concerning the statement that the same phases ot sec- 

 ondary metamorphoses of the cells are found in the secondary degen- 

 erations as in the primary toxic or anaemic degeneration (p. 242). 

 The, difference is^one of the best established data of neurocytology. 

 The whole chapter is written from the experience furnished by the car- 

 mine method rather than the most recent stains of Nissl, Weigert, etc. 

 It however ^"compensates for its one-sideness by the details of obser- 

 vation with this one method. The short resum6of secondary changes 

 after destruction of a cerebral hemisphere, of partial lesions of a hem- 

 isphere, of the cerebellum, of the thalamus and subthalamic region, 



