434 FANCIED FUNCTIONS OF 



produce blisters, fractured bones and soft parts unite, in limbs 

 which are perfectly paralysed. But the involuntary functions 

 are closely connected with the encephalon and spinal chord ; 

 for the sudden destruction of these parts, or of a certain ex- 

 tent of them, puts a stop to the circulation. 4 This, however, 



The pneumono-gastric next supply the membrane of the bronchiae and air- 

 cells, so that, after their division, an animal may be plunged into water without 

 any uneasiness or effort at respiration, although previously violent struggles 

 ensued ; or the animal may be kept in confined air or nitrogen, and, although 

 it still breathes and laboriously, it gradually dies, we are told, without any suf- 

 fering. We breathe from an uneasy sensation ; but, after the division of these 

 nerves, the want is little felt. Respiration continues for a time, probably from 

 some nervous connection ; for, if the origin of the nerves in the chorda oblongata 

 is destroyed, respiration ceases at once.* Dr. Brachet believes that all ex- 

 citement of the heart by the brain, even though the cause be pain induced any 

 where, is communicated by the pneumono-gastric ; for excitement of the heart 

 from causes of pain ceased on the division of these nerves, and did not occur if they 

 were divided before their application ; nor would irritation of the upper extremity 

 of the divided nerve, or of the brain, excite the heart. 



They give sensation, we have seen, and also, according to some, motion, to 

 the stomach. According to Dr. Brachet, the stomach still acts but antiperistal- 

 tically, so that its muscular excitability does not depend upon the nerve, though 

 it maybe acted upon through the nerve. On irritating its resophageal plexus, the 

 cesophagus and stomach contract, and, after its division, their peristaltic action 

 ceases, f 



d Dr. Le Gallois, Sur le Principe de la Vie ; and Dr. Wilson Philip, Exper. 

 Inquiry. Probably by excessive stimulus, as the voluntary muscles are after- 

 wards insensible to stimuli, although, after a mere division of their nerves, they 

 retain their excitability. 



nating in the opening muscles of the glottis, are for the purpose of those grosser 

 movements of the rima glottidis connected with respiration and deglutition." 



* In considering the continuance of respiration after division of these nerves, 

 and the occasional occurrence of rattling and apparently laborious breathing 

 without anv suffering for even a long time before the death of some persons, we 

 must reflect how faint an uneasy sensation causes us almost unconsciously to 

 will an action, how we wink all day, and hem, without thinking of the sens- 

 ations which excite our will, or thinking of the exertion of our will. A person 

 may have sensation enough in the lungs to make him breathe, and yet not enough 

 to make him suffer. When dogs plunged in water after the division are said to 

 have made no effort to breathe, I presume that the faint sensation induced them 

 to make a faint effort, but was not sufficient to induce them to contend for re- 

 spiration, as they must have done, from the absence of air. 



f Drs. Tiedemann and Gmelin, Recherches sur la Digestion. Drs. Breschetand 

 Edwards, Arch. Gener. de Mtdedne, 1821. 



