THE METABOLISM OV THE BODY. 4.53 



the dwindling is accompanied by proliferation of the muscle 

 nuclei. 6. After neurotomy for navicular disease a form of de- 

 generation of the structures of the foot is not uncommon. 7. 

 After section of hoth vag^, death results after a period, varying 

 in time, as do also the symptoms with the aoiimal. In some 

 animals pneumonia seems to account for death, since it is 

 found that, if this disease be prevented, life may, at all events, 

 be greatly prolonged. The pneumonia has been attributed to 

 paralyses of the muscles of the larynx, together with loss of 

 sensibility of the larynx, trachea, bronchi, and the lungs, so 

 that the glottis is not closed during deglutition, and the food, 

 finding its way into the lungs, has excited the disease by irrita- 

 tion. The possibility of vaso-motor changes is not to be over- 

 looked. In birds, death may be subsequent to pneumonia or 

 to inanition from paralysis of the oesophagus, food not being 

 swallowed. It is noticed that in these creatures there is fatty 

 (and sometimes other) degeneration of the heart, liver, stomach, 

 and muscles. 8. Section of the trigeminus nerve within the 

 skull has led to disease of the corresponding eye. This opera- 

 tion renders the whole eye insensible, so that the presence of 

 offending bodies is not recognized; and it has been both as- 

 serted and denied that protection of the eye from these pre- 

 vents the destructive inflammation. With the loss of sensi- 

 bility there is also vaso-motor paralysis, the intra-ocular ten- 

 sion is diminished, and the relations of the nutritive lymph to 

 the ocular tissues are altered. But all disturbances of the eye 

 in which there are vaso-motor alterations are not followed by 

 degenerative changes. 9. Degeneration of the salivary glands 

 follows suture of their nerves. 10. After suture of long-di- 

 vided nerves, indolent ulcers have been known to heal with 

 great rapidity. This last fact especially calls for explanation. 

 It will be observed, when one comes to examine nearly all such 

 instances as those referred to above, that they are complex. 

 Undoubtedly, in such a case as the trigeminus or the vagi, 

 many factors contribute to the destructive issue; but the fact 

 that many symptoms and lesions are concomitants does not, of 

 itself, negative the view that there may be lesions directly 

 dependent on the absence of the functional influence of nerve- 

 fibers. We prefer, however, to discuss the subject on a broader 

 basis, and to found opinions on a wider survey of the facts of 

 physiology. 



After a little time (a few hours), when the nerves of the sub- 



