THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 431 



M. Fleurens to occur on division of the branches of the acoustic 

 nerve, that such effects ensue. In hemiplegia, disease is frequently 

 found in a corpus striatum ; and some have endeavoured to prove 

 that paralysis of an upper or lower extremity is attended by dis- 

 ease in this part or that, but the coincidences are not such as to 

 warrant any conclusion. 



In foetuses full grown, without encephalon or spinal chord z , the 

 circulation, nutrition, secretion, &c. proceed equally as in others, 

 which, besides spinal chord, nerves, and ganglia, possess a brain. a 

 These mutilations by nature are conclusive, and render all vivi- 

 sections on the points unnecessary. Further, the heart and arteries 

 are formed in the foetus before the encephalon and spinal chord, 

 and therefore cannot depend on them for power and excitement. 

 Vegetables absorb, assimilate, circulate, secrete, and in many in- 

 stances contract on the application of stimuli, and yet are not 



2 See Morgagni, Ep. 48. No. 50. ; Van Home, Curios. Miscell. Dec. 1. an. 3, 

 obs. 129.: Kerkring, Spic. Anat. obs. 23. ; Littre, Hist, de CAcad. des Sciences, 

 1701, p. 24. ; Mery, I.e. 1712, p. 38.; Fauvel, 1. c. 1711, p. 26.; Sue, 

 1. c. 1746; M. Roux, M6m. sur V Anencephalie, 1825; all quoted by Dr. 

 Brachet, Recherches Exp6rimentales sur le Systems Ganglionaire. Paris, 1830, p. 83. 

 sqq. p. 69. sqq., for instances of the absence of the spinal chord. 



Also, Phil. Trans. 1775. 



Brainless foetuses are not uncommon. 



A foetus attached to another has been minutely described by Dr. Mayer of 

 Berlin, in Graefe's Journal, t. x., without brain, spinal chord, or encephalo- 

 spinal nerves. There was one nervous twig accompanying the renal artery, and 

 arising apparently from the renal plexus, which, with the mesenteric, existed 

 and had ganglia. 



Imperfect foetuses have been seen, with some organs evolved, though not 

 even nerves could be discovered. See Phil. Trans. 1793. See on this subject 

 the excellent remarks of Dr. Marshall, in his works edited by Mr. Sawrey in 

 1814, and already quoted. 



a " A girl lived to the age of eleven years, with the use of her senses, and with 

 voluntary motion, weak it is true, but sufficient for her wants, and even for pro- 

 gression." " After death no cerebellum nor mesocephalon could be found." (Dr. 

 Magendie, Precis, t. i. p. 414., and Journal, t. xi.) Here was one of Nature's 

 own mutilations, without mechanical injury or disturbance of other parts ; and, 

 with patience till it occurred, a multitude of innocent animals would have escaped 

 cruel and disgusting vivisections, and an attempt would not have been made to 

 prove that the cerebellum was necessary to motion or secretion, or to prevent 

 involuntary motions backwards. The girl had prurigo pudendi, and frequently 

 scratched herself. Some antiphrenologists therefore inferred that she mastur- 

 bated and showed sexual desires, although she had no cerebellum ! 



G G 



