446 CHEMICAL PROCESSES IN THE NERVOUS TISSUES. [BOOK I. 



The proportion of water in the spinal cord is less than in the 

 brain. Thus Bernhardt obtained the following results : 



PROPORTION OF WATER IN THE SPINAL CORD AND MEDULLA 



OBLONGATA. 



Cervical portion of cord 73 05 p c. 



Lumbar 76 '04 



Medulla oblongata 73'90 



Cortex of brain 85*86 



White matter of brain 70'08 



Sympathetic cord 64'30 



2. Proportion of the chief organic constituents of ox brain 

 (Petrowski 1 ). 



Grey matter. White matter. 



Solids 18-40 p. c. 31-65 p. c. 



Water 81-60 68'35 



Albumin and Gelatin . . 5 5 '37 24*72 



Cerebrin 0'53 9*55 



Lecithin 17'24 9'90 



Cholesterin .... 18'68 51-91 



Substances insoluble in anhydrous 



ether 671 3'34 



Salts 1-45 0-57 



The above analyses, though interesting as. shewing the varying 

 proportions of certain of the brain constituents, such as water, 

 proteids, andcholesterin,mustnot be considered as throwing any light 

 upon the nature or distribution of the phosphorized constituents. The 

 phosphorus present in the mixed alcoholic and ethereal extracts having 

 been determined, a calculation was made upon the unwarrantable 

 assumption that all the phosphorus was derived from lecithin. The 

 reader who has perused the preceding pages will understand the 

 unfounded nature of this surmise. 



SECT. 10. THE CHEMICAL PROCESSES CONNECTED WITH THE ACTIVITY 

 AND DEATH OF THE NERVOUS TISSUES. 



We are acquainted with singularly few facts which throw a light 

 upon the chemical processes which have their seat in the organs of 

 the nervous system. 



The great vascularity of the central organs as compared with the 

 nerves, and especially of the grey matter of the central organs, 

 establishes a presumption that processes have their seat in the nerve 

 cells of the grey matter which demand an abundance of oxygen. 



1 Petrowsky, "Zusammensetzung der grauen und der weissen Substanz des Gehirns." 

 Pfliiger's Archiv, Vol. vn. p. 367. 



