FUNCTIONS OF THE BRAIN 



905 



' rut/ was impregnated, whelped at full term in an entirely normal 

 manner, and manifested the maternal instincts in their full intensity. 

 Flourens put forward the doctrine that the cerebellum is an organ 

 concerned in the co-ordination of movements, and especially the 

 maintenance of equilibrium, supporting his conclusions by an 

 elaborate series of experiments. Notwithstanding the very large 

 amount of experimental and clinical study which has been devoted 

 to the cerebellum since the time of Flourens, our actual knowledge 



Fig. 363. Cerebellar Cortex : Section in Direc- 

 tion oi Lamina (Cajal). a, Purkinje's cell; 

 b, granule cell in inner layer; c, dendrite of 

 a granule cell; d, axon of a granule passing 

 into the molecular layer, where it bifur- 

 cates into two fine longitudinal branches 

 (Golgi's method). 



Fig. 364 Cerebellar Cortex : 

 Section across a Lamina 

 (Cajal). a, Purkinje's cell; 

 the numerous dots in the 

 molecular layer represent 

 cross-sections of the bifur- 

 cated axons of the granule 

 cells (Golgi's method). 



of its functions has not greatly advanced beyond the point then 

 reached. Some of the more modern authorities restrict its influence 

 entirely to the actions on which equilibration depends ; others extend 

 it to all volitional movements. Luciani looks upon it as ' an organ 

 which by processes that do not awaken consciousness exerts a con- 

 tinual strengthening (reinforcing) action upon the activity of all 

 other nerve-centres.' Sherrington conceives of the cerebellum as 

 the head ganglion of the proprio-ceptive system i.e., of the system 

 of neurons whose receptors lie not on the surface, but in the deeper 



