FUNCTIONS OF THE SPINAL CORD. 135 



the creature moving, or giving any expression of suffering, if the spinal cord 

 had been divided ; yet that, by irritation of the foot, especially by heat, in an 

 animal similarly circumstanced, violent convulsive actions in the leg and tail 

 were excited. It should be added that, in the foregoing case, the nutrition of 

 the lower extremities was not impaired, as in most cases of paraplegia. The 

 rationale of this phenomenon, which is to be constantly observed when the 

 reflex actions of the part remain entire, will be hereafter noticed ( 381). 



178. In another case, the paralysis was more extensive, having been pro- 

 duced by an injury (resulting from a fall into the hold of a vessel) at the lower 

 part of the neck. There was at first total loss of voluntary power over the 

 lower extremities, trunk and hands ; slight remaining voluntary power in the 

 wrists, rather more in the elbows, and still more in the shoulders. The inter- 

 costal muscles did not participate in the movements of respiration. The sen- 

 sibility of the hands and feet was greatly impaired. There were retention of 

 urine, and involuntary evacuation of the faeces. Recovery took place very 

 gradually; and during its progress, several remarkable phenomena of reflex 

 action were observed. At first, tickling one sole excited to movement that limb 

 only which was acted upon; afterwards, tickling either sole excited both legs, 

 and, on the 26th day, not only the lower extremities, but the trunk and upper 

 extremities also. Irritating the soles, by tickling or otherwise, was at first the 

 only method, and always the most efficient one, by which convulsions could be 

 excited. From the 26th to the 69th day, involuntary movements in all the 

 palsied parts continued powerful and extensive, and were excited by the fol- 

 lowing causes : In the lower extremities only, by the passage of flatus from 

 the bowels, or by the contact of a cold urinal with the penis ; convulsions in 

 the upper extremities and trunk, attended with sighing, by plucking the hair 

 of the pubes. On the 41st day, a hot plate of metal was applied to the soles, 

 and found a more powerful exciter of movement than any before tried. The 

 movements continued as long as the hot plate was kept applied.; but the same 

 plate, at the common temperature, excited no movements after the first contact. 

 The contact was distinctly felt by the patitent ; but no sensation of heat was 

 perceived by him, although the plate was applied hot enough to cause vesica- 

 tion. At three different intervals, the patient took one-eighth of a grain of 

 strychnia three times a day. Great increase of susceptibility to involuntary 

 movements immediately followed, and they were excited by the slightest 

 causes. No convulsions of the upper extremities could ever be produced, 

 however, by irritating their integument ; though, under the influence of 

 strychnia, pulling the hair of the head, or tickling the chin, would occasion 

 violent spasmodic actions in them. Spontaneous convulsions of the palsied 

 parts, which occurred at other times, were more frequent and more powerful 

 after the use of strychnia. On the first return of voluntary power, the patient 

 was enabled to restrain, in some measure, the excited movements; but this re- 

 quired a distinct effort of the will; and the first attempts to walk were curiously 

 affected, by the persistence of the susceptibility to excited involuntary move- 

 ments. When he first attempted to stand, the knees immediately became 

 forcibly bent under him, this action of the legs being excited by contact of the 

 soles with the ground. On the 95th day this effect did not take place, until 

 the patient had made a few steps; the legs then had a tendency to bend up, a 

 movement which he counteracted by rubbing the surface of the belly: this 

 rubbing excited the extensors to action, and the legs became extended with a 

 jerk. A few more steps were then made; the manoeuvre repeated, and so on. 

 This susceptibility to involuntary movements from impressions on .the soles, 

 gradually diminished; and on the 141st day, the patient was able to walk 

 about, supporting himself on the back of a chair which he pushed before him ; 

 but his gait was unsteady, and niuch resembled that of chorea. Sensation im- 



