1881.] ^'^'^ [Wilder. 



may be led to treat certain topics according to the special opportunities 

 whicb. they may enjoy, and that thus, eventually, there may be available 

 for workers in Human, Veterinary and Comparative Anatomy, a com- 

 plete account of the Gross Anatomy, the Histology, the Development, the 

 Functions, and the Taxouomic Relations of the brain of a common 

 mammal. 



That the domestic cat is not only common in most civilized lands, but 

 otherwise well adapted to serve as the basis for work upon other forms, in- 

 cluding man, has been urged by Straus-Dui'ckheim (A. pp. xiv and 54), 

 H. S. Williams (A, iii), Mivart (B, ix), and the writer (3). 



Subsequent experience has abundantly confirmed the views expressed in 

 the paper last named, and has even removed my previous somewhat 

 unfavorable impression respecting the availability of the cat for physi- 

 ological experimentation.* 



That the idea of employing the cat as an introduction to the study of 

 other forms is neither original nor of recent adoption, may be seen from 

 the work of Straus-Durckheim, and from the following passages in my 

 papers : — 



"Nearly twenty years agof, the late Professor Jeffries Wyman, in 

 commenting upon the unsatisfactory nature of some notes of dissections, 

 said : ' Much of this is due to the lack of suitable standards for compari- 

 son. The human body is not a suitable standard for the lf)wer vertebrates. 

 The best thing any anatomist can do is to prepax'e complete accounts of 

 the structure of a few forms, each typical of some large group. The 

 fowl could represent the birds, and the cat the mammals. The cat's 

 anatomy should be done first, because it would serve as an introduction to 

 human anatomy, and thus become an important aid to medical educa- 

 tion.' " Wilder, S, 5. 



Eight years ago, in a paper (11) upon the outer cerebral fissures of certain 

 mammals, I oifered the following suggestion : — 



"But before any final work can be done in respect to fissures, we need 

 a complete account of the brain of some one mammal, giving its appear- 

 ance from all sides, sections and dissections of all parts, and demonstra- 

 tions of the relations which may exist between the fissural pattern and the 

 internal structure ; then a full series of figures representing all the stages 

 of development, both of the brain as a whole, and of its parts. On some 

 accounts the fox would be the most useful species, but as it is not to be 

 had in large numbers, and as dogs are ineligible as a standard, from the 

 breed differences as well as from the usual complexity of the fissural 

 pattern, we shall probably find the cat most available 'for the purpose. 

 Such a work would form a fitting continuation of Straus-Durckheim's 

 magnificent monograph of the Osteology and Myology of that animal. It 



*Th8 flercsst cat, provided it can ouce be induced to enter a bag, is managed 

 almost as easily as a rabbit. Ether and chloroform act quickly and surely, and 

 I have never encountered any serious difficulties, whether in the laboratory or 

 lecture-room, in performing the e.xperiments commonly employed for physi- 

 ological illustration. Of course, these experiments were all caUiseciions, that is, 

 done by the aid of anaesthetics. In my opinion, as elsewhere expressed 

 (10), sentisection or painlul vivisection is i-arely necessary or justitiable. 



t It was in I860, now twenty-one years ago. 



