380 Renumeration of the Spinal Nerves and Reconstruction { April, 
above the first cervical vertebra (between atlas and occiput), it ob 
viously follows that the seventh cervical pair is above the seventh 
cervical vertebra. There being but seven cervical vertebra, 
“eight cervical nerves ” cannot properly be said. For the newe 
enumerated and known as “eighth cervical,” issuing as it does 
above the first dorsal vertebra, is actually first dorsal, according 
to the count we start with. 
If we agree in the beginning to number and name spinal nerves 
by the number and name of the vertebra next delow each one ol 
them, then to reckon eight cervical nerves to seven cervical vèr 
tebrz sets the whole series of succeeding nerves wrong by ee 
The irregularity is obvious, requiring no comment; but how t 
was brought about is not explained in the ordinary text-books, ) 
and the student learns the plexuses with difficulty, instead of with . 
the ease with which he can be taught to know them if the nerv 
which enter into their composition be counted correctly. Sufi- 
ciently complicated as it is at best, the matter may nevertheless — 
be much simplified by a fair count. : ! 
The case affords a curious instance of survival of the unfittes 
—a singular oversight of early anatomists having been perpet 
uated to the present day, and become ingrained in the est 
numbering and naming of the spinal nerves as grouped poi 
vical, dorsal, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal sets. It arose cet 
way: When the cranial and spinal nerves were num : ‘ak ] 
true first spinal (suboccipital, between occiput and gr je | 
reckoned a cranial nerve; then that one which issues st 2 
atlas (between atlas and axis) of course became “ first one 
and succeeding ones were numbered consecutively, per d 
which issues Je/ow the seventh cervical vertebra being yee . 
“seventh cervical.” Next, when the cranial nerves p: a a 
the suboccipital was correctly excluded from the par servic l 
included in the spinal series, being added of course to: ae 
nerves. Thus there then came to be “ eight cer vical ‘ But 1 
the same lower limit of the “cervical” series was " peing ea ] 
their collective number and their respective numbers ee Mee 
raised by one nerve, it was as if their respective ag 
each dropped down one vertebra; so that, for example, W 
before been seventh and last cervical nerve became then 
and last (between last cervical and first dorsal as 
Strangely enough, however, the other spinal nerves 
left 
