NERVOUS CENTRES. (Human Anatomy. Ture Encepuaton.) 
Taste III. 
MALES, 
ay Pies! Cerebellum 
Sahl Fe Encephalon, | Cerebellum. eer 
As oz. dr. | oz. dr. | oz. dr. 
1to 4; 5] 39.. 42 | 3..13: | 4.. 6 
5— 7 3 | 43..10 DS ry f 5526 
7—10} 6] 46.. 24 | 4..102 | 5..10§ 
10—13)| 3) 48.. 74 | 4..14 5.212 
43—16| 5 | 47...82 —— 6.. 1} 
16— 20| 6] 52..10 5.. 44 | 6.. 64 
20 — 20} 25 | 50... 93 | 5.. 34 | 6.. 2 
30 — 40} 23 | 51..15 5.. 3h | 6.. 44 
40 — 50| 34 | 48..133 | 5.. 34 | 6.. 48 
50 — 60} 29 | 50.. 2 5.. 58 | 6.. 2% 
60— 70; 8/| 50.. 68 | 5.. 0 Gsiewr2 
70 &upw. 7 | 48.. 42 | 4..14 5..144 
Total male brains weighed 154. 
FEMALES. 
2to 4 Ore... 9 3.. 9$ | 4.. 5 
ae fl 3} 39.. 91 | 3..11 4.. 83 
ma. 8 3 | 42.. 7§ | 4.. 7 | 5.. 5B 
16 .. 20 8 | 44..113 | 4..144 | 5..11 
20 .. 30| 18 | 45.. 23 | 4..11} | 5.. Of 
30 .. 40| 23 | 44.. 14 4. 134 | 5..11 
(640... 50} 18 | 44..104 | 4..14 5.144 
50 .. 60 3 | 45.. 4¢ | 4.. 73 | 5.. 8 
60... 70/ 11 | 42..14§ | 4..104,| 5.. 9 
70 &upw. 2] 38.. 84 | 4.. 54 | 5.2. 2 
From this table we are led to conclude that 
the brain reaches: its greatest absolute weight at 
an early age. The maximum is found in the 
table at between 16 and 20; but, as Dr. Reid 
States, it is plain that the apparent excess of 
weight at this period over that for the next forty 
years must have arisen from sources of fallacy 
incidental to insufficient data. And in the 
663 
group between 40 and 50, Dr. Reid states that 
some brains much below the average weight 
were found, so as to leave no doubt that the 
diminution in the average weight in that group 
was attributable to that circumstance. 
A decided diminution in the average weight 
of the brain was noticed in females above 60 
years of age; but, among the males, this was 
not apparent until a later period. Upon this 
point Professor Reid makes the following judi- 
cious observation, which I am anxious to 
quote as according with the views I have ex- 
pressed at page 642 respecting liquid effusions. 
“ We certainly did expect,” he says, “ also to 
find a similar diminution in the average weight 
of the male brain above 60 years of age, for 
we are perfectly satistied, as the tables contain- 
ing the individual facts will shew, that we more 
frequently meet with a greater quantity of 
serum under the arachnoid and in the lateral 
ventricles in old people than in those in the 
prime of life. We are also satisfied from an 
examination of the notes we have taken at the 
time the brains were examined, that a certain 
degree of atrophy of the convolutions of the 
brain over the anterior lobes, marked by the 
greater width of the sulci, was more common 
in old than in young persons. We have, how- 
ever, frequently remarked these appearances in 
the brains of people in the prime of life who 
had been for some time addicted to excessive 
indulgence in ardent spirits.” 
The ratio between the weight of the body 
and that of the brain is greater in early age than 
at the subsequent periods. The following pro- 
portions were obtained by Tiedemann, in infants 
just born. In two boys the proportion of the 
brain to the body was as 1: 5.15 and 1 : 6.63, 
and in two girls as 1: 6.29 and 1:6.83. The 
following table gives Professor Reid’s results 
from the examination of 92 bodies. 
Taste IV. 
Relative weight of entire body to encephalon, cerebrum, cerebellum, cerebellum with pons 
Varolii and medulla oblongata, in 92 bodies. 
pd 5S &-d | Cerebellum sy 
ee 2s Es with pons 26 
Ages. Encephalon.| 3 2 Cerebrum a Cerebellum. | & 2 Varolii and | 3.3 
Ze ZB 7 2\| medulla | Ze 
[| 1 to 5 years. 1to 88 | 4] 1to 98] 4] 1to 88} 4|1to 763 | 4 
at 5 years. 1 O88] 2)1 10h] 2/1 97% | 211 81%] 2 
|| at 7 years. 1 109 | 2]1 11 2/1 1074 | 2|/1 gag] 2 
& 13to15 years. | 1 1542] 3] 1 218] 3] 1 14228] 111 1469 | 3 
a4) 20 30 ,, 1 3542/11] 1 403%] 11] 1 3522] 10/1 2934] 11 
=|| 30 40 ,, 1 378] 6)1 412] 51/1 342] 5]1 3063] 6 
40 50 ,, 1 38 |14]14 4219/12]1 3484] 12/1 2954) 12 
50 60 ,, 1 367 | 11] 1 42) | 10/14 370! | 8| 1 318% | 10 
|| 60 70*,, 1 39) | 4|1 441 | 4] 1 427) | 4/1 3481] 4 
’ : : ‘ 1 8 | 4/1 OF) 4/1 8441 4]1 71] 4 
” ee e-. ee ee ee ee ee 
- 7 10 , 1 °138Q)° 3°12 25441 9 [4 125 3|1 105)2] 3 
5 1S 15 ae A : + “a 4 a ate 
J} 16 20 ,, 1 SOF aha Sie] 387) 4 Beak} 3).1, 1814) 3 
=) 20 30 ,, 1 334] 4/1 373 | 4/1 3274] 4]1 275, |] 4 
m1!) 30 40 ,, 1 348 | 8]1 393 | 6|1 3162 | 5|1 2853} 6 
40 50 ,, 1 35 5|]1 412 | 4/1 3245 | 4/1 277, | 4 
50 60 ,, 1 384) 2|1 41) 2 }4° 9703} 211 307%] 2 
‘| 60and upwards. | 1 38) | 6/1 43! | 6|1 346 | 6] 1 2885] 6 
* One of these was above 70 years of age. 
