721z 
The aggregate of these fibres, together with 
the grey matter, constitutes the true spinal cord 
pathetic actions, have not, I affirm, associated one 
physiological act with any such reflex function of the 
spinal marrow. This is, therefore, my poweary A 
Upon this passage I must remark, Ist, that if Dr. 
Hall merely claims the discovery of the reflex func- 
tion, it cannot be conceded to him, for Prochaska 
had already distinctly announced the existence of 
this function in the medulla oblongata and spinalis, 
using even the term functio, as in the following pas- 
sage: —‘* Cum itaque precipua functio sensorii 
communis consistat in reflexione impressionum sen- 
soriarum in motorias, notandum est, quod ista re- 
flexio vel animé nescia, vel vero anima conscié fiat.” 
Loc. cit. pp. 118-19. 
If, however, Dr. Hall claims the discovery of this 
function *‘ as the nervous agent in all the acts of inges- 
tion and egestion in the animal economy,” then I have 
only to remark that I know of no physiologist in 
the present or in former times who would care to 
dispute such a discovery with him. I have already 
shown that the idea that these acts of ingestion and 
oycetion are dependent on this function is a fiction 
of the fancy—an idolon 4s—which rests upon 
an imperfect and erroneous analysis of these acts, 
and on very narrow views of the nature and mode 
of developement of the nervous force. If, finally, 
Dr. Hall limits his claims, as he says he might do, 
to the discovery (?) of the anatomy and physiology 
of the true spinal system, as a combined system of 
“« 1, incident nerves; 2, their spinal centre; and, 3, 
reflex nerves, constituting the anatomy of the whole 
series of the acts of ingestion and egestion,” I am 
quite sure that no anatomist or physiologist of the 
present day would seek to deprive him of such a 
discovery, or dispute the opinion of Professor 
Flourens that it belongs to Dr. M. Hall. That this 
so-called true spinal system is no more than an hy- 
pothesis, and one which has but an infirm basis to 
rest upon, I have endeavoured to show in the text. 
That a centre of reflex actions exists—but not dis- 
tinct from the centres of sensori-volitional acts— 
every physiologist will admit, and the limits of that 
centre were most correctly defined more than fifty 
years ago by Prochaska under the name sensorium 
commune, which extends, according to him, ‘* quam 
late patet nervorum origo,” and which, as I have 
already remarked, completely foreshadowed Dr. 
Hall’s “ true spinal marrow.” 
In sections 5—1] of this work Dr. Hall states 
the real objects of his researches as follows. 
“«« First, to separate the refiex actions from any 
movements resulting from sensation and volition. 
Secondly, to trace these actions to an acknow- 
ledged source or principle of action in the animal 
economy—the vis nervosa of Haller—acting ac- 
cording to newly discovered laws. 
Thirdly, to limit these actions to the true spinal 
marrow, with its appropriate incident and reflex 
nerves, exclusively of the cerebral and ganglionic 
systems, 
Fourthly, to apply the principle of action in- 
volved in those facts to physiology, viz. to the 
physiology of all the acts of exclusion, of inges- 
tion, of retention, and of expulsion in the animal 
frame. 
Fifthly, to trace this principle of action in its 
relation to pathology, viz. to the pathology of the 
entire class of spasmodic diseases ; and, 
Sixthly, to shew its relation to therapeutics, 
especially to the action of certain remedial and cer- 
tain deleterious physical agents. 
Finally, it is to these objects, taken together as 
a whole or as a system, that I prefer my claims; 
and I do not pretend that an occasional remark 
may not have been incidentally made by some 
previous writer, bearing upon some one or other 
of them,” hae 
It is in this work that Dr, Hall has, for the first 
PHYSIOLOGY OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 
of Dr. Hall, which is not limited to the spinal 
canal, but passes up into the cranium as far as 
time, ventured to notice the remarkable views of 
Prochaska. I wish, for the sake of English phy- 
siology, and also for the sake of Dr. Hall’s own 
character as one who professes great admiration 
for those who ‘‘ display a candid, impartial, 
generous judgment of the works of others,” that the 
extracts which he has made from Prochaska’s work, — 
few and imperfect as they are, had been accompa- — 
nied by some more dignified and more ingenuous re~ 
marks than those contained in the following para- 
graph. = 
** It is impossible to adduce specimens of 
complete confusion than these, in which vol 
acts, and the actions of the heart, stomach, 
intestines—functions of the cerebral and of the 
glionic systems ens are arranged 
certain reflex experimental facts, and very 
sympathetic actions, which really belong to the 
true spinal system.” 
I have carefully examined the gprs a quot 
from Prochaska by Dr. Hall, and myself 
unable to discover any of that ‘‘ complete con- 
fusion to which he alludes.” Prochaska states, — 
that numerous examples (plurima exempla) prov 
the general law of the reflecting power of the 
sensorium commune, of which, however, he s ys, 
a 
& 
it will suffice to adduce only afew. He mentior 
sneezing produced by irritation of the mucous 
membrane of the nostrils,” the violent cough pm 
duced by irritation of the glottis—per micam ¢ 
vel guttulam potus illapsam,—and the wi é 
cited by bringing the finger close to the e 
these are not fair examples of reflex acti 
know not what are. 
Prochaska then proceeds to show that the: 
reflex actions may take place with or without t 
cognizance of the mind; and here I must refert 
a very disingenuous proceeding on the par 
Dr. Hall in his quotations. He disp 
2. 9y 
rey 
= 
laces 
sages from their right order and therefore from tl 
context, and thereby introduces an appe ce | 
confusion which does not exist in the origin 
The passage commencing ‘‘ Si amicus digito,” & 
occurs before and in a different paragraph fre 
that commencing ‘‘Cum itaque precipuo,” & 
Dr. Hall quoting them as if the latter stood fir 
He has similarly transposed the passages ¢ 
mencing ‘ Sed fieri tamen,” &c. and “ 
cordis, ventriculi.” “a 
In the pemcing portion of this work Dr. 
has systematized his views more completely t 
in his previous writings—repeating, however, m 
the same experiments, re-asserting the same ex 
nations of certain actions as before, and adi 
some new remarks in vindication of his views” 
ready expressed. Yet in this volume there” 
indications as if Dr. Hall had no great confid 
in his own hypothesis, notwithstandin; 
thought it worthy of being designated a dise 
At § 149, referring to Dr. Carpenter’s and | 
Newport’s opinions in favour of the existent 
excito-motory fibres distinct from sensori-volit 
fibres, he remarks, “‘ I doubt not that the im 
gations of these gentlemen are correct; they h 
therefore, confirmed what I had : ’ 
done.” But in ye having mention 
ger’s assertion that in the roots of the spin: 
one set of fibres passes up to the brain, 
other pursues its course to the grey matter, he’ 
«Tt is probable, therefore, that the former 4 
reality nerves of sense and voluntary motion, W 
the latter are the nervous channels of the 
eS 
* Prochaska supposes that the olfactory nery 
propagate the irritation which excites sneezim 
the centre ;— the office of the fifth nerve was} 
made out in his day. a 
