VII 



THE MEDULLA OBLONGATA 



391 



usu partium," classed this nerve among the " duri et motori." 

 Boerhaave opposed this correct view and described it as a nerve of 

 taste, since it is the only nerve to the tongue. Willis recognised 

 its motor nature, but also attributed a gustatory function to it 

 a theory that was generally followed until Panizza (1834) first 



FIG. 210. Frontal section through hypoglossal nucleus. (Koch.) 



demonstrated experimentally that the old Galenic concept that it 

 is exclusively motor was accurate. 



The observations of H. Mayo, Magendie, and Longet, who 

 stated that section or simple mechanical stimulation of the hypo- 

 glossal above the hyoid bone is painful, cannot be disputed. But 

 this sensibility is due to the fact that it anastomoses with fibres 

 of the vagus, of the lingual branch of the 5th nerve, and of the 

 three upper cerebral nerves. Cl. Bernard also found that the 



