74 



ments similar to those of Mr. Chossat, and have met with similar 

 results. I have also seen several cases in which an accidental 

 injury of the spinal cord has produced the same effect. The 

 most remarkable of them was that of a man who was admitted 

 into St. George's Hospital, in whom there was a forcible separa- 

 tion of the fifth and sixth cervical vertebroe, attended with an 

 effusion of blood within the theca vertebralis, and laceration of 

 the lower part of the cervical portion of the spinal cord. Res- 

 piration was performed by the diaphragm only, and, of course, 

 in a very imperfect manner. The patient died at the end of 

 twenty-two hours ; and, for some time previous to his death, 

 he breathed at very long intervals, the pulse being weak and 

 the countenance livid. At last there, were not more than five 

 or six inspirations in a minute. Nevertheless, when the ball 

 of a thermometer was placed between the scrotum and the 

 thigh, the mercury rose to 111 of Fahrenheit's scale. 

 Immediately after death, the temperature was examined in the 

 same manner, and found to be still the same. 



Brodie was mistaken as regards the experiments of Chossat. 

 Instead of finding an increase in the animal heat after the sec- 

 tion of the inferior portion of the spinal cord, Chossat found 

 a considerable diminution in the temperature of dogs. But in 

 two cases, where the spinal cord was divided at about the 

 level of the last dorsal vertebra, in dogs, Chossat* found an 

 increase in the animal heat. In one of these experiments, the 

 increase was from 41.l to 41.5 Cents., (105.98 to 106.7 

 Fahr.) In the other, the increase was from 41.l to 42. 9 

 Cs., (105.98 to 109.6.) 



Dr. Macartney! found an increase in the temperature of 

 parts paralyzed in consequence of the division of their nerve. 

 II. Nasse,J who made many experiments on this subject, some- 

 times observed an elevation in the temperature of the pa- 

 ralyzed parts after the division of the sciatic nerve, or after 

 the partial destruction of the spinal cord. 



* Mem. sur P influence du eyst. nerv. sur la chal. anim. These de Paris. 

 No. 120. 1820, p. 35. Exps. xxiii and xxiv. 

 j- Treatise on Inflammation, 1838, p. 13. 

 j Yuterstirchungor zur Physiol. und Pathol., 1839, v. ii., p. 190. 



