316 



The following Donations were presented : — 



Elements of Chemistry, including the actual state and prevalent doc- 

 trines of that Science. By the late Edward Turner, M. D. 

 F.R.S.L. & E. Edited by Justus Liebig, M.D., F.R.S.L. & E., 

 and William Gregory, M.D., F.R.S.E.— 5j/ the Publishers. 



A Tabular View of the yearly quantity of Rain which falls in dif- 

 ferent parts of Great Britain. By Joseph Atkinson, Harraby> 

 near Carlisle. — By the Author. 



Memoirs of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol. xi By the So- 

 ciety. 



Astronomische Nachrichten, — Nos. 400 to 411. — By Professor Schu- 

 macher. 



A Collection of Fossil Fishes from Orkney. — By Dr Traill. 



Aith January 1841. 



Dr ABERCROMBIE, V.P. in the Chair. 

 1. On certain Physiological Inferences which may be drawn 

 from the study of the Nerves of the Eyeball. By Dr 

 Alison. Part Second. 



The second part of Dr Alison's paper treated, ^j'5f, of the in- 

 ferences which may be drawn from the study of the Nerves of the 

 Eyeball, touching the use of the Ganglia of the Sympathetic 

 Nerve, which are now generally admitted to have essentially the 

 same composition as the ciliary ganglion, i. e. to have motor as 

 well as sensitive filaments from the spinal cord, besides the cords 

 of communication with the other ganglia. 



In the eye, as in other parts, the muscles supplied with nerves 

 through these ganglia are muscles of involuntary motion. The 

 supposition that this or any other part of the Nervous System is 

 intended to give the power of motion to muscles, is quite hypo- 

 thetical and opposed by facts; but there is nothing hypothetical 

 in the assumption, that Sensations and Emotions of mind, which 

 obviously affect the involuntary muscles, must do so through these 

 g-anglionic nerves ; and therefore that the structure of these nerves 

 and their ganglia must be designed to fit them for transmitting 

 that kind of nervous action which attends those involuntary acts 

 of mind, and to disqualify them for transmitting the direct influ- 

 ence of the will. 



Taking this view of the subject, the following inferences are 

 considered to be justified by facts known as to these ganglionic 

 nerves in the eye and elsewhere. 



