IV. 
ME, PRYSIGCAL, RELATIONS OF CON- 
SCIOUSNESS. AND THE SEAT: OF 
SENSATION, A THEORY PROPOSED.’ 
IN venturing to disturb the theory of Sensation as 
it has long been taught, I am very sensible that it 
may be difficult to obtain a patient hearing, seeing 
that it is a theory universally received ; yet there 
are important points which that theory leaves. 
unexplained, points familiar to all, and which only 
require to be mentioned for every one to admit 
that, as the theory at present stands, they are totally 
inexplicable. That theory may be shortly stated 
thus :—that an irritation applied in the neighbour- 
hood of a nerve-extremity produces an impression 
which is conducted along the nerve till it reaches 
the seat of consciousness in the brain; and that the 
mind, affected by the impression, becomes thereby 
cognisant of a sensation, which it refers to the 
1 Originally published in the Journal of Anatomy and Physiology. 
November 1870, 
