THE PSYCHIC BRAIN CELLS 323 



cerebro-neuronal materio-dynamic machinery, continues 

 active, in the purely mental, or psychic, strata of cerebral 

 texture, independently performing purely intellectual 

 work, which, during the condition of sleep, or from 

 traumatic, or toxic, influence, may also be "switched off" 

 from the immaterial ego this " switching off" represent- 

 ing a physiological provision, for the mutual rest, and 

 recuperation, both of mind, and body, by which the 

 material mechanism of cerebration is overhauled, and 

 the generation, and re-distribution, of nerve energy, 

 effected, for physiological, and psychic necessities. 



Psychic neurons may, therefore, be supposed to effect 

 the union of sensory, and motor, neurons, respectively, 

 by virtue of their axonal processes, becoming histologically 

 continuous with the neurons, on either side, without 

 necessarily terminating in, any specific nerve terminal 

 arrangement, other than that of direct, or modified, histo- 

 logical continuity. Such a central uniting area of neuronal 

 structures, must, it is conceivable, represent a somewhat 

 large proportion of those peripheral grey, and central 

 white, textural developments of the brain proper, without, 

 necessarily, requiring to be continued along the lines of 

 either the sensory, or motor, nervatures, proper, and, 

 therefore, to be within easily available reach of the 

 operation of the mechanism, and hypnotic influence, of 

 cerebral imbibition. 



The psychic area of neurons, thus, represents a region 

 of cerebral structure of indefinite dimensions, compara- 

 tively free from the disabling, or paralysing, influence, 

 of purely sensory, or motor, neuronal molecular changes, 

 and, therefore, secures for intellectual cerebration the 

 means of continuing its operations, when all around, it 

 may be, is reduced to complete functional inability, and 

 temporary paralysis. This condition of functional inde- 

 pendence, and aloofness, of the psychic neurons, is well 

 illustrated, by the onset of sleep, and the renewal of conscious- 

 ness after sleep^ very variable, and indefinite periods of 

 time, and psychological state, no doubt, but in this, 

 it may be said, both the sensory, and motor, neurons, 

 exist in a state of functional abeyance, quite, or almost 

 entirely, complete, while the psychic neurons are still, 



