OF THE CEREBELLUM, AND ITS FUNCTIONS. 739 



coincident with apoplexy of the median lobe of the Cerebellum, that, whilst the 

 lateral lobes or hemispheres may be connected with the locomotive function, 

 the median lobe may be the organ of the sexual instinct. Several cases have 

 been recorded, in which some such relation appeared to be indicated ; and the 

 Author has been made acquainted with at least six, 1 in which an extraordinary 

 salacity developed itself at an advanced period of life, whilst concurrently with 

 this, or following upon it, there was that kind of unsteadiness of gait which may 

 be held to indicate chronic disease of the Cerebellum; and in one of these cases, 

 of which the history and post-mortem appearances have been carefully recorded 

 by Mr. Dunn, 2 there was strong evidence that the excitement of the sexual pro- 

 pensity was coincident with the irritative stage of incipient disease in the central 

 lobe of the Cerebellum, and that the abatement of the propensity was in like 

 manner coincident with the subsequent destruction of its substance ; whilst the 

 advance of the disease into the lateral lobes was marked by impairment of the 

 power of co-ordination of movement. But with regard to all such cases, and 

 others that may be ranked in the same category, 3 the objection of Petrequin* 

 holds good, that when disease or injury affects the median lobe of the Cerebel- 

 lum, the Medulla Oblongata is almost certain to be implicated in it ; so that, as 

 the evidence already referred to clearly indicates the existence of a special rela- 

 tion between the genital organs and the upper part of the Spinal Axis, no 

 positive proof is afforded by them that any portion of the Cerebellum has any 

 special connection with the generative function. 



771. The Author is far from denying in. toto, that any peculiar connection 

 exists between the Cerebellum and the Genital system ; but if the evidence at 

 present adduced in support of the Phrenological position be held sufficient to 

 establish it, in defiance of so many opposing considerations, we must bid adieu 

 to all safe reasoning in Physiology. The weight of testimony appears to him 

 to be quite decided in regard to the connection of the Cerebellum with the 

 regulation of the motor function; and as an additional argument in favor of 

 this view, it may be stated, that the lobes of the Human Cerebellum undergo 

 their most rapid development during the first few years of life, when a large 

 number of complex voluntary movements are being learned by experience, and 

 are being associated by means of the muscular sensations accompanying them ; 

 whilst in those animals which have, immediately after birth, the power of regu- 

 lating their voluntary movements for definite objects, with the greatest precision, 

 the Cerebellum is more fully developed at the time of birth. In both instances 

 it is well formed and in active operation (so far as can be judged of by the 

 amount of circulation through it), long before the sexual instinct manifests 

 itself in any perceptible degree. But neither doctrine need be maintained alto- 

 gether to the exclusion of the other; and there are many among the Phrenolo- 

 gists of the present day who hold with Serres that whilst the hemispheres of the 

 Cerebellum possess the endowments now generally assigned to them by Physi- 

 ologists, the central lobe is connected with the genital function. It has been 



1 Four such cases have come under the notice of his friend Dr. Simpson of York. 



2 " Medico-Chirurgical Transactions," vol. xxxii. 



3 Thus, a case has been communicated to the Author by Mr. Turley of Worcester, in 

 which the sexual desire, which had been always strong through life, but which had been 

 controlled within the limits of decency, manifested itself during a period of some months 

 preceding death, in a most extraordinary degree ; on post-mortem examination, a tumor 

 was found on the Pons Varolii. And he has been informed of another case by Dr. Evanson 

 (formerly of Dublin), in which a young officer on the eve of marriage, having received a blow 

 on the occiput by a fall from his horse, became impotent, without any other disorder of his 

 bodily or mental powers ; and in the distress consequent upon this discovery, committed 

 suicide on the morning fixed for his wedding. 



4 "Sur quelques points de la Physiologic du Cervelet et de la Moelle Epiniere," in 

 " Gaz. Medicale," 1836, torn. iv. p. 546. 



