Wilder.] 5o(j [July 15, 



by an anatomical teacLer, from wliicli I quote tlie following : "There is 

 certainly ample room for it [the reform proposed], hut one cannot help 

 thinking that in his desire for set names, Professor Wilder approaches 

 pedantry." In view of what might have been expected from so critical a 

 journal, I am disposed to feel more encouraged by the admission than dis- 

 heartened by the objection. 



Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote me the following letter upon the sub- 

 ject, which, with his permission, was printed in "Science " for June 4, and 

 is here, in part, reproduced : — ■ 



Boston, May 30, 1881. 



Dear Dr. Wilder : — I have read carefully your paper on Nomencla- 

 ture. I entirely approve of it as an attempt — an attempt which I hope will 

 be partially successful, for no such sweeping change is, I think, ever 

 adopted as a whole. But I am struck with the reasonableness of the system 

 of changes you propose, and the fitness of many of the special terms you 

 have suggested. 



The last thing an old teacher wants is, as you know full well, a new set 

 of names for a familiar set of objects. It is hard teaching old professors 

 new tricks. So my approbation of your attempt is a sic vos non voMs case 

 so far as I am concerned. * * * 



What you have to do is to keep agitating the subject, to go on training 

 your students to the new terms — some of which you or others will doubt- 

 less see reasons for changing — to improve as far as possible, fill up blanks, 

 perhaps get up a small Manual in which the new terms shall be practically 

 applied, and have faith that sooner or later the best part of your innova- 

 tions will find their way into scientific use. 



* * * The plan is an excellent one— it is a new garment which will 

 fit Science well, if that capricious and fantastic and old-fashioned-dressing 

 lady can only be induced to try it on. 



Always very truly yours, 



O. W. Holmes. 



Dr. Holmes's literary authority, as well as the fact, perhaps less generally 

 known, that for 33 years he has been the Professor of Anatomy in the 

 Medical School of Harvard University, will give great weight to his ap- 

 probation of my undertaking. 



In Science for April 29, 1881, Dr. E. C. Spitzka of New York, well- 

 known as an indefatigable worker in encephalic anatomy and histology, 

 published (7) a letter to the Editor respecting my article. Dr. Spitzka 

 generously puts aside the natural fesling of disappaintment that a task 

 which he had contemplated for several years should be, however imper- 

 fectly, performed by another, and, together with valuable practicable 

 suggestions upon several important points, comments as follows upon the 

 general subject : — 



" It is with mingled pleasure and profit that I have read the very sugges- 

 tive paper on Cerebral Nomenclature contributed to your latest issues by 

 Prof Wilder. Some of the suggestions which he has made have been 



