The physiology and pathology of the cerebellum / by William A. Hammond.

  • Hammond, William A. (William Alexander), 1828-1900.
Date:
1869
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The physiology and pathology of the cerebellum / by William A. Hammond. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    siicli circumstances, tliere are no muscular actions to coordinate, and yet tlie animal makes efforts witli its wings to preserve its equilibrium. When it attempts to walk, it staggers and instantly endeavors to maintain its balance. Flourens always speaks of this phenomenon as being like that exhibited by a drunken animal— but fails to distinguish it from that which would be exhibited if the coordinating power were lost. I have several times rendered cats, rabbits, and Guinea-pigs drunk with whiskey. Their movements are exactly like those which result in other animals after injury of the cerebellum. My friend Professor A. Flint, Jr., in- forms me that he has recently made pigeons drunk, and that they act like those which have suffered injury of the cerebellum. I have recently performed similar ex- periments upon several pigeons. In every case the ap- pearance and actions of the animal were not to be distinguished from those which occur after removal of the cerebellum. There were the same sj^rawliug of the wings, the same hesitating and staggering gait, the same uncertainty of flight, the same ineffectual efforts to avoid a blow, and the same gyratory motion of the head and trembling of the body. I do not believe the most ex]3erienced experimental physiologist could dis- tinguish between two j)igeons, one of which was di'unk and the other suffering from an injury of the cerebel- lum. I propose to show the difference between the phenomena of vertigo and incoordination under another division of the subject. 4. The plienomena of cerebellar disease or injury^ as exhibited in man, are not sucli as shoio any derange- ment of the coordinating power. Keference has already been made to the case of Al- exandrine Labrosse, reported by Combette. It is stated