590 



NA TURE 



[August 17, 1905 



from the latter — and this is ii new fact of great signifi- 

 cance — no true efferent fibres arise. The efferent or motor 

 mechanism of the cerebellum is contained in its nuclei, 

 the system of roof nuclei being in connection with the 

 cortex of the vermis, the nucleus dentatus with that of 

 the lateral lobe. The cortex of the cerebellum is thus the 

 special organ for the reception of sensory impressions, 

 while its nuclear system may be regarded as its motor 

 or efferent mechanism. 



The functions of the cerebellum must be studied in 

 relation to the sensory impressions it receives and to the 

 activity of other centres. While it is the cortex of the 

 forebrain which consciously appreciates and records our 

 sensory impressions and initiates purposeful actions, it is 

 the cerebellum which automatically preserves our equil- 

 ibrium, guides our locomotion, and assists to regulate our 

 finer movements. Thus its functions are in part reflex 

 or involuntary, dependent on the sensory impulses which 

 reach it directly or through the forebrain, and in part to 

 coordinate and regulate the muscular contractions 

 generated in the kina-sthetic cortex, especially those which 

 result in movement in space and those on which the 

 maintenance of equilibrium depends. The accuracy of 

 equilibration is necessarily dependent on our knowledge 

 of our position in space. This is obtained chiefly by 

 vision, but as our visual fields are small in relation to 

 the space in which we exist, sight must be supplemented 

 by the power to turn the head and eyes in the three 

 planes of space. There is conclusive clinical and experi- 

 mental evidence that the coordinated execution of these 

 movements is largely represented in the ponto-cerebellar 

 centres. The sense of touch is also a valuable aid in 

 spatial orientation, for though by touch the body can be 

 aware onlv of the surface with which it is actually in 

 contact, we can explore, as blind men do, our neighbour- 

 hood bv the movements of our limbs. The memory of 

 space so obtained is stored up in the kincesthetic cortex, 

 and disease of this region diminishes or destroys our 

 knowledge of points on the surface of our body so far 

 as their precise position in space is concerned, and con- 

 sequently the effective movement of the limb. It has been 

 long recognised that one of the most prominent signs of 

 destructive lesions of the cerebellum is the inability to 

 move a limb in a coordinate manner towards any point, 

 but it appears probable from some not yet concluded 

 observations of the lecturer that the faculty of localisation 

 of points of the body in space is also defective with 

 disease of the cerebellum. The touch sensations from the 

 portions of our body resting on our base, the pressure 

 sensations in our joints, and the sensations of tension in our 

 muscles are also requisite for the automatic maintenance 

 of equilibrium. These are some of' the sense impressions 

 which pass to the cortex of the vermis by the anatomical 

 tracts referred to. 



It would appear that the cortex of the vermis receives 

 the sensory impressions necessary for movemeBt in the 

 anterolateral plane and for bending backwards and for- 

 wards ; with lesions of this part there is a tendency to 

 fall forw-ards or backwards. The lateral lobes, on the 

 other hand, receive through the middle peduncles, as 

 Majendie demonstrated, the stimuli necessary for rotation 

 on the longitudinal axis. 



From the cortex of the cerebellum, Avhich is constantly 

 receiving these waves of sensory impressions, the cere- 

 bellar nuclei collect the properly associated impulses which 

 regulate and reinforce the purposeful movements and the 

 automatic actions of the individual. 



This latter position has been established by the re- 

 searches of Dr. Clarke and the lecturer during the past 

 three vears. 



Luciani's discovery that the cerebellum is also a source 

 of energy to the muscles, which become asthenic and 

 hypotonic on its destruction, is also fully confirmed by 

 the lecturer's own work. 



In conclusion, this sketch of the cooperation of the 

 cerebellum and cerebrum \vas illustrated by a quotation 

 from Boyle, who said: — "I consider the body of a living 

 man not as a rude heap of limbs and liquors but as an 

 engine consisting of several parts so set together that 

 there is a strange and conspiring communication between 

 them." 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 

 The University of Melbourne has received a largely 

 increased endowment from the Government cf \'ictoria on 

 condition of instituting a course for a degree in agriculture. 

 The necessary arrangements for such a course have now 

 been made, and the university is inyiting applications in 

 England and America for a professorship of botany and a 

 lectureship in biochemistry in connection with the school 

 of Anriculture. A new professor of anatomy is also to be 

 appofnted for the rapidly growing medical school. 



The Drapers' Company has made a further grant of 

 5000/. for an extension of the premises of the East London 

 Technical College. In addition, the company has largely 

 developed its scholarship scheme. Next year nineteen 

 scholarships will be awarded of the value of 40/.^ per 

 annum, tenable at the college for three years. Certain of 

 these scholarships are reserved for women, while others 

 will be awarded in the subjects of the London arts degree. 

 The governors of the college have extended the work by 

 introducing a course in languages and literary subjects. 

 Students taking this course will study under recognised 

 teachers, and be internal students of the University of 

 London. As a consequence of this development, the 

 governors have decided that the college shall, in future, 

 be known as the East London College. 



Prob,\te has been granted of the will of Mr. John Inne^, 

 of Merton, Surrey, who died on August 8, 1904, leavin.^ 

 the sum of about 2oo,oooi. for public arid charitable pur- 

 poses. Among other bequests he left his house, ^th.- 

 Manor Farm, Merton, and two acres of ground, " tn 

 establish thereon a school of horticulture or such othe: 

 technical or industrial institution as the law will allow, 

 to give technical instruction in the principles of the scienc. 

 and art of horticulture and the necessary physical and 

 mental training incidental thereto ; to erect suitable build- 

 ings and furnish them, and to provide workshops, tools, 

 plant, scientific apparatus, libraries, reading-rooms, lecture 

 and drill halls, a swimming bath, and gymnasium. If 

 this mav not be legally carried out, then to establish in 

 these buildings a public museum for the exhibition of 

 collections of paintings and similar works of art, objects 

 of natural history, or of mechanical or philosophic inven- 

 tions, and to layout land for a park." 



.Mr. S. Herbert Cox has been appointed to the pro- 

 fessorship of mining at the Royal School of Mines, South 

 Kensington, vacant by the death of Sir Clement Le Neve 

 Foster. In view of the changes in organisation that may 

 be found desirable in the Royal College of Science and 

 the Roval School of Mines after the completion of the 

 investigations now in progress by the departmental com- 

 mittee, the appointment has been made a temporary one. 

 Mr. Cox is an Associate of the Royal School of Mines. 

 After experience as assistant geologist and inspector of 

 mines in New Zealand, he w^as appointed instructor in 

 geology, mineralogy, and mines in Sydney Technical 

 College'; concurrently w'ith his tenure of this office he_ was 

 employed to give technical lectures at various mining 

 camps' in New South Wales, and practised as a miniiig 

 engineer. Since iqoo he has been entirely engaged in 

 private practice, and has had experience of mining in 

 England, France, Spain, Egypt, the United States, and 

 Canada. Mr. Cox was president of lh<' Institution of 

 Mining and Metallurgy in iSqq-iqoo. 



The London University Gazette (.August q) publishes 

 the following announcement referring to the endowment of 

 a chair of protozoology : — " The senate had before them 

 a communication from the Secretary of State for the 

 Colonies, offering the university the sum of ■/ool. a year 

 lor five years for the purpose of instituting a chair of 

 protozoology. Of this sum, 200/. a year was stated to be 

 a contribution from the Rhodes trustees, and 500/. a year 

 to represent a moiety of a grant originally made from 

 the tropical diseases research fund (established under the 

 auspices of the Colonial Office) to the Royal Society for 

 the promotion of research work, and by the Royal Society 

 surrendered for the purpose of endowing the chair. Having 

 considered reports upon this offer from the academic 

 council, and from the board of advanced medical studies 

 and the boards of studies in botany and zoology, the 



NO. 186S, VOL. 72] 



