CHAPTER IX. 



PHYSIOLOGICAL ANATOMY AND GENERAL PROPERTIES OF THE 

 SPINAL CORD. 



General arrangement of the cerebro-spinal axis Membranes of the encephalon 

 and spinal cord Cephalo-raehidian fluid Physiological anatomy of the 

 spinal cord Direction of the fibres after they have penetrated the cord by 

 the roots of the spinal nerves General properties of the spinal cord 

 Effects of stimulation applied directly to different portions of the cord. 



UNDER the head of special senses, we shall consider, in 

 another volume, the properties and functions of the first and 

 second nerves, the portio mollis of the seventh, or auditory, 

 and the gustatory nerves, comprising a part of the glosso- 

 pharyngeal and a small filament from the facial (the chorda 

 tympani) going to the lingual branch of the fifth. This will 

 include a full account of the organs of smell, sight, hearing, 

 and taste, with a description of the general sensory nerves, 

 as far as they are concerned in the sense of touch. "We will 

 here begin our history of the cerebro-spinal axis, which will 

 include the physiological anatomy, properties, and functions 

 of the encephalon and spinal cord. 



General Arrangement of the Cerebro-spinal Axis. The 

 nervous matter contained in the cavity of the cranium and 

 in the spinal canal, exclusive of the roots of the cranial and 

 spinal nerves, is known as the cerebro-spinal axis. This 

 portion of the nervous system is composed of white and 

 gray nervous matter. The fibres of the white matter act as 

 conductors. The gray matter constitutes a chain of ganglia, 



