270 Dr. A. P. W. Philip on the 



its remaining sensibility, indicated by the efforts to vomit, 

 proves that the influence of the nervous system is not wholly 

 withdrawn from it by dividing these nerves. 



If, then, this influence be not supplied to the stomachHiy the 

 eighth pair of nerves alone, but also, as we have reason to be- 

 lieve from the evidence of anatomy, by nerves arising from dif- 

 ferent parts of the spinal marrow, it is evident that cutting off the 

 influence of any considerable part of this organ, while we leave 

 the eighth pair of nerves entire, must affect the power of the 

 stomach, though probably not so much, because the brain, we 

 have reason to believe, constitutes the most important part of 

 the nervous system. The same observation applies to the 

 lungs. On appealing to the test of experiment, such was found 

 to be the result ; the functions both of the stomach and lungs 

 were impaired, by destroying any considerable portion of the 

 spinal marrow, the lesion of function being proportioned to the 

 extent and importance of the part destroyed*. 



Another point relating to this part of the subject remains to 

 be ascertained. Do the effects observed in the stomach and 

 lungs, when part of the spinal marrow is destroyed, arise 

 directly from the destruction of that part, that is, from the 

 ceasing of its office, or from the influence of the brain on the 

 spinal marrow being thus limited .' It is evident, that if the former 

 opinion be correct, the division of the spinal marrow in the 

 middle will not produce the same effects as the destruc- 

 tion of the lower half. If the latter, the effects must be the 

 same. The division of the spinal marrow in the middle pro- 

 duced very little deviation from the healthy state, either in the 

 stomach or lungs, compared with that produced by the destruc- 

 tion of the lower half of that organ t. 



Thus, it appears, that the function of the spinal marrow also 

 is necessary to the secreting power, and that, as far as it is ne- 

 cessary to this power, it is independent of any influence derived 

 from the brain. As a partial destruction of the spinal marrow 

 impairs the secreting power, a partial abstraction of the influence 



• Inquiry, &c. Exp. 54, 55, 56. 

 t Exp. 59. 



