90 



Mr. E. J . Lee on the Pneumogastric and [Jan. 21, 



and the comparison in tlie Table of the values computed by this formula 

 with those derived from the observations does in fact show a much greater 

 accord. I was, however, further led to infer that the constants in the for- 

 mula, which I had perceived to vary slowly with the lapse of time at other 

 stations, must at Greenwich also have changed materially in the 17 years 

 (1841-1857), and thus I was finally led to construct the formula 



z,^=6-66-0'123(^- 1849) + [0-038-0-001(^- 1849)]. (IV) 

 which, as the Table shows, suits very well with the observations. For 

 application to longer periods it will still require some further modifica- 

 tion, and, in particular, to be augmented by corrections from the term 

 (^— 1849)^. In conclusion, I also computed the variations for the years 

 1858-1862 by all the four formulae, and have entered them in the Table 

 for future comparison. 



January 21, 1864. 

 Major-General SABINE, President, in the Chair. 



The following communications were read : — 



I. '^A Description of the Pneumogastric and Great Sympathetic 

 Nerves in an Acephalous Foetus.^^ By Robert James Lee, 

 Esq,, B.A. Cantab. Communicated by Robert Lee, M.D. 

 Received November 20, 1863. With Supplement, received 

 January 20, 1864. 



(Abstract.) 



The author observes that hitherto no account has been given of the 

 origin and distribution of the par vagum or pneumogastric nerve in any 

 instance of a foetus born with brain entirely or partially wanting. This 

 reason has been thought sufficient for communicating to the Royal Society 

 the description of a dissection of the pneumogastric and sympathetic nerves 

 in a foetus born at the full period, in which the cerebellum and medulla 

 oblongata were absent. At the time of birth it cried, moved, and for the 

 space of one hour might be said to live. All the thoracic and abdominal 

 viscera were found properly formed, and the upper and lower extremities 

 properly developed. The eyes, nose, and mouth were present. The head, 

 when regarded as a whole, seemed as though the posterior and superior 

 parts had been entirely removed, thus leaving the spinal cord and base of 

 the skull exposed. Some tough cerebral matter, covered only by a dense 

 membrane, was seen in two small masses exposed in the cranium, not con- 

 tinuous with the spinal cord (which terminated abruptly at the base of the 

 cranium and was entirely exposed at this point), but separated from it by a 

 bony prominence arising from the floor of the cranial cavity. 



After the removal of the extremities, the abdomen was opened and the 

 viscera of the abdominal cavity removed. The anterior halves of the ribs 



