Human Physiology. 



the cerebro-spirial system we have something like a reversed 

 plant, its bulbous root the brain, its stalk the spinal chord, its 

 branches given off at intervals and penetrating to every part of 

 the body. But the spinal chord is formed before the brain, 

 which may grow from it ; or all may be formed together, by the 

 inner life that directs the action of the nerves of the organic 

 system. And if these nerves form, as they evidently nourish 

 and sustain, the cerebro-spinal nerves, what forms them? We 

 are at the end; we have no answer, except that they stand 

 nearest to, and must have their origin from that mysterious 

 force, property, essence, which we call Life. Here we cross 

 the boundary line between matter and spirit, and we can have 

 little doubt that spirit moulds matter, and acts upon it and 

 through it. The action of spirit upon matter gives us all the 

 phenomena of life. 



It is not needful to point out the niceties of nervous distribu- 

 tion. Accurate anatomy is only needful for the surgeon. It 

 is enough for us to have some general idea of the distribution 

 ,and functions of the nervous system and useful, perhaps, to 

 know how little can be known of its mode of action. 



There is no doubt that the brain is the seat of conscious 

 sensation that it is, in a certain sense, the organ of the mind. 

 By it, and its antennae, the nerves, we make all our observa- 

 tions, and receive all our sensations. We remember, we ima- 

 gine, we combine our impressions and recollections, we think, 

 calculate, contrive, invent. With the brain we love and hate ; 

 we believe, hope, reverence; we desire, dread, and have the 

 emotions of pride, vanity, scorn, ridicule, joy, sorrow, con- 

 science. But how a watery pulp, which people cook and 

 eat, can become even the material instrument of all the facul- 

 ties, sentiments, emotions, and passions of man, passes know- 

 ledge. We know, however, that a slight pressure on the brain 

 will produce unconsciousness that disease in the brain will 

 produce loss of memory, loss of mental power, and every kind 



