EXAMINATION OF SOME SPINAL NERVES 131 
only in the course of days or even weeks.* In some Monkeys, however, as in the Cat and Dog, 
the knee-jerks are not even temporarily abolished by the section. I have seen them maintained 
both after section as high as the 1st cervical segment and as low as the 1st post-thoracic segment. 
The reflex reactions may remain in the just-described condition of paucity and depression 
for many hours and for many days; in this a striking and significant contrast exists between the 
Monkey on one hand, and the Cat and Dog upon the other. The sphincter ani, however, 
possesses some tone, and is not relaxed. Tliere is no marked trouble with defaecation ; but, after 
section at a low level, I have seen retention and dribbling overflow of urine, and the bladder may 
have to be evacuated by a catheter. In the course of time the action of the bladder, if lost at 
first, is regained, and further reflex movements usually become obtainable. A drawing up of the 
legs by the flexors of the hip and knee can generally be best evoked by pressing the foot or 
applying a cold sponge to the sole. A feeble wag of the tail can be obtained by pinching it. 
Flexion and adduction of the hallux become elicitable from a much wider area than formerly, 
from the whole foot, from the inside of the thigh and from the end of the penis. The move- 
ment of hallux is usually associated with flexion of the other digits, also curiously often with 
extension of the other digits, an interesting movement which I have frequently obtained by 
excitation of the appropriate region of the cortex. The 'cremaster' reflexes can be obtained. 
In one young M, sinicus on the 14th day after the section a bilateral reflex appeared, and 
remained regularly elicitable for four months ; on pinching tlie prepuce, both great toes were 
strongly flexed and adducted, both knees were slightly extended, and at the same time, by 
apparently a slight action of the flexors of the hips, thrust forward ; the smaller digits were 
generally slightly flexed together with the hallux. I have seen a similar reflex from one other 
male, but only from one. I have never seen it in the female, the nearest approach being flexion 
of the hallux as an accompaniment of depression of the tail and protrusion of the anus in 
response to stimulation of the skin near the ventral commisure of the vagina. In the Cat I have 
seen bilateral movement (sometimes extension, sometimes flexion) of the ankles in response to 
irritation of the labium. 
Abduction of tlie tail from its median symmetrical position is easily obtained, generally 
from a large area including the perinium, back of sacrum, back of thigh, and even the soles of the 
feet. The abduction is not unfrequently in a direction away from the side stimulated ; that is to 
say, crossed reflexes are not uncommon ; this often happens in the sense that, after excitation of 
the left side of the perineum has evoked abduction of the tail toward tlie left, excitation of the 
right side of the perineum evokes similarly abduction toward the left. Sometimes the crossed 
movement is elicitable without any previous bahiiung.'' 
As time goes on, the 'drawing-up' movement of the limb can be obtained from a larger 
area than at first ; the calf, the outer side and back of the thigh, the skin lateral to the callosity 
and of the gluteal region near the root of the tail, not however as far inward as the median line, 
all yield it. The flexion of knee is not always carried out by the same muscles, thus, the 
Sherrington, 'Journ. of Physiol.,' vol. 13, pp. 666-6-2. 
