THE MAINTENANCE OF THE EQUILIBRIUM 
AS A FUNCTION OF THE CENTRAL 
NERVOUS SYSTEM. 
PROFESSOR HEINRICH OBERSTEINER. 
It is difficult for man to exist, more difficult than would be 
supposed from a superficial consideration. In his earliest child- 
hood man stands—or, better, lies—here in the world and finds 
before him a series of tasks for which he is but partially fitted. 
Fortunately, we bring with us into the world a most finely elab- 
orated organism, by which from the beginning a great part of 
this work is essentially lightened. For example, our hearts 
beat regularly, we breathe rhythmically, and so forth. For 
even at birth the mechanism of the circulation and of breathing 
is so completely developed that these functions can proceed 
quite independently and without our further assistance. Were 
we obliged to give our constant attention to these two abso- 
lutely necessary functions, where should we find the time for 
any intellectual labor ? 
In other fields, however, it is not so easy for us. The child 
has to practice long before it can sit upright, and still longer 
before it can stand and walk. But having once thoroughly 
learned this feat, having made it completely our own, it is no 
longer necessary —at least under normal conditions — to give 
our supervision, our conscious assistance, to the equilibration 
of the body. This is maintained quite unconsciously, while the 
mind is engaged with other things. We can, for example, 
follow a process with strict attention while sitting or standing, 
without becoming upset or falling from the chair — unless per- 
chance we fall asleep. 
It is a most wonderful and advantageous physiological ar- 
1 A lecture delivered before the Verein zur Verbreitung PoE 
Kenntnisse in Wien. Translated from the Schriften des Vereins, Bd. xxx y 
Guy M. Winslow, Ph.D. 
313 
