On the Structure, Distribution, and Functions of the Nerves. 119 



Poitiers by M. Boisgiraud, had the appearance of a beautiful 

 falling star, that left after it a luminous rectilinear tram, con- 

 taining a bright point ; the inferior extremity of which took a 

 spiral figure, its brilliancy gradually decreasing, and became 

 divided into two branches: one of these gradually diminished 

 to the point just mentioned; and this became slowly extin- 

 guished, in a quarter of an hour after the first appearance of 

 the phenomenon. The third phaenomenon of this nature I 

 have alluded to was observed at Paris by MM. Gay-Lussac 

 and Berthier: it was a large and beautiful luminous serpen- 

 tine train of light, as thick as the wrist, occupying a space of 

 about thirty degrees, and likewise containing a luminous point 

 at the lower extremity ; it continued full five minutes. At 

 Caen this meteor appeared to descend vertically, giving out a 

 light equal to that of brilliant lightning, throwing out sparks, 

 and leaving a long, luminous, undulating tail filled with 

 sparks. 



[To be continued.] 



XIX. Analyses of a Series of Papers on the Structure, Distribu- 

 tion, and Functions of the Nerves ,• by Charles Bell, Esq.; 

 which have appeared in some late Volumes of the Philosophical 

 Transactions. 



[Continued from p. 50.] 



"C'ROM the analysis which we have given of Mr. Bell's first 

 ■*- paper in the Philosophical Transactions, strong evidence is 

 afforded of there being two distinct sets of nerves in the body, 

 the one regulating the respiratory apparatus and all the mus- 

 cles and parts which are brought into associate action with it; 

 the other being muscular nerves ordering the voluntary mo- 

 tions of the frame, and endowing the surfaces of the body with 

 common sensibility. This evidence was supplied from a de- 

 tail of his experiments and observations on the nerves of the 

 face; and as he confined himself as strictly as possible to these 

 nerves in particular, the following experiments and observa- 

 tions on the nerves of the trunk are not a mere continuation 

 of the same subject, but also a confirmation of his new views 

 respecting the arrangement of the nerves in general. The at- 

 tention of our readers must therefore be called to the nerves 

 ol the trunk, or to those which associate the muscles of the 

 chest, in the actions of breathing, speaking and expression, 

 as distinguished from those nerves which, though intimately 

 blending themselves with them, are nevertheless destined for 

 a different function altogether : and that our readers may bear 

 with tin- detail into which it will be necessary to enter, they 



must 



