THE COLUMNS OF BURDACH 247 



thesia on both sides below the section; and (2) by horizontal 

 section of one-half of the cord, which is followed by anes- 

 thesia on the opposite side below the section. It is claimed 

 that pain and temperature sensations decussate at once on 

 reaching the gray matter, while sensations of touch, pres- 

 sure and equilibration pass up on the same side until the me- 

 dulla is reached. Some afferent fibers are probably not con- 

 tinued upward to the brain either directly or indirectly. 



It thus appears that we have no very accurate knowledge 

 of the sensory paths in the cord. The gray matter seems 

 principally concerned ; but the columns of Goll and Burdach 

 and the direct cerebellar fasciculi also convey afferent im- 

 pressions. 



The columns of Burdach have been said to present no de- 

 generation secondary to section. Trophic centers for their 

 fibers must, therefore, exist above and below any given point 

 of section. It is found that the fibers constituting these col- 

 umns pass in and out along the cord between cells in differ- 

 ent planes and acting as longitudinal commissural fibers. In 

 locomotor ataxia the characteristic symptom is inability to 

 coordinate the muscular movements especially of the lower 

 extremities ; the characteristic lesion has been found to be in 

 the columns of Burdach. This is of importance in deter- 

 mining the function of these columns, and, in fact, leads to 

 the conclusion that their fibers assist in regulating and co- 

 ordinating the voluntary movements. This opinion is fur- 

 ther supported by the connection of these fibers with the 

 cerebellum, which contains the center for muscular coordi- 

 nation if such a center exist. The sense of pressure and 

 the so-called muscular sense are probably connected with the 

 fibers of this column, and these may be the only sensory im- 

 pressions conveyed through the columns of Burdach. 



The anterior fundamental fasciculi, the anterior radicular 

 zones, and the mixed lateral paths degenerate in neither 

 direction after section, their trophic cells existing at both ex- 

 tremities. They connect cells in the gray matter of the cord. 



