IV. 



THE PHYSICAL RELATIONS OF CON- 

 SCIOUSNESS AND THE SEAT OF 

 SENSATION, A THEORY PROPOSED. 1 



IN venturing to disturb the theory of Sensation as 

 it has long been taught, I am very sensible that it 

 may be difficult to obtain a patient hearing, seeing 

 that it is a theory universally received ; yet there 

 are important points which that theory leaves 

 unexplained, points familiar to all, and which only 

 require to be mentioned for every one to admit 

 that, as the theory at present stands, they are totally 

 inexplicable. That theory may be shortly stated 

 thus : that an irritation applied in the neighbour- 

 hood of a nerve-extremity produces an impression 

 which is conducted along the nerve till it reaches 

 the seat of consciousness in the brain ; and that the 

 mind, affected by the impression, becomes thereby 

 cognisant of a sensation, which it refers to the 



1 Originally published in the Journal of Anatomy and Physiology. 

 November 1870. 



