138 ALFRED T. SCHOFIELD^ ESQ., M.D., M.R.C.S.^ ETC., ON 



that the nerve fibres increase according to the complexity 

 rather than the number of movements is found in the fact 

 that although the number of movements of the leg must be 

 as numerous in a dog, or an ape, as in man, the pyramidal 

 tract in the spinal cord by which they are conveyed is^ twice 

 as large in man as in the monkey, and ten times as large as 

 in the dog. 



The functions of the brain develop in a fixed order, and 

 Sir J. C. Browne has called attention to the fact that if this 

 natural order is disregarded in education, the result is im- 

 perfect, and the mind is never fully developed. The various 

 senses, the motions, emotions, and intellect all come to 

 maturity at different times. 



With regard to movements, those of mastication precede 

 those of the foot and leg, then come the hand and arm, then 

 the proper use of the tongue and lips, later on the power of 

 speech and writing. 



Imperfectly developed motor centres produce various 

 imperfections in the execution of the movements in- 

 volved, such as stammering, twitching, an imperfect gait, &c. 

 One point of importance remains to be noticed. The brain 

 centres are developed by exercise of the parts they govern, 

 and whenever fully developed, the result remains. Thus if a 

 limb be atrophied or useless from birth, it is found that the 

 district in the cortex remains undeveloped ; but on the other 

 hand, if the centre be once fully developed by use, and the 

 limb subsequently lost, it is found that although the lower 

 centre in the spinal cord may Avaste, the higher centre in 

 the cortex remains perfect, beuig probably maintained by its 

 inter-communication Avith other parts. The bearing of this 

 on physical education is obvious. 



Nerve currents. — The more the brain is investigated the 

 more does its broad description as a sensori-motor mechanism 

 appear true. If Ave except a certain frontal area, and even 

 this is doubtful, it appears that apart from the hemisjjheres 

 and cortex, the nerve paths in the loAver parts of the brain 

 consist of sensori-motor arcs, the nerve currents arriving at 

 the hinder part of the brain by the posterior part of the cord, 

 and leaving the anterior ganglia, notably the corpus striatum, 

 and descending doAAai the front of the spinal cord in the 

 resulting motor impulse. To use noAv the Avords of Dr. Hill, 

 in his paper on reflex action, read here a sliort time since : 

 " On these arcs, which collectively make up the lower system, 

 are superadded arcs, the loops of which lie in the higher grey 



