Lectures on the structure and physiology of the parts composing the skeleton, and on the diseases of the bones and joints of the human body : preceded by some observations on the influence of the brain and nerves, delivered before the Royal College of Surgeons of London, in the summer of the year 1820 / by James Wilson.

  • Wilson, James.
Date:
1820
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Lectures on the structure and physiology of the parts composing the skeleton, and on the diseases of the bones and joints of the human body : preceded by some observations on the influence of the brain and nerves, delivered before the Royal College of Surgeons of London, in the summer of the year 1820 / by James Wilson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

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    on; or the action of respiration when that part of the spinal marrow from which the eighth pair of nerves have their origin is compressed, and which of course must be attended with death should the pressure be continued beyond a few seconds. Ex- periments made on living brute animals have proved these facts, and in the human body they have been also proved by the pressure of small and indolent tumours which have been long in forming ; for the brain fills the inside of the cranium so completely, that a very small addition if made quickly would produce the effect of general compression. I have met with instances in dissecting tlie human brain, where the point of compression has been very li- mitted, but acting on a part from which a nerve originated belonging to some organ of sense, whose function before death had been lost, and where no deficiency was found in the organ itself. Various conjectures have been formed concerning what part of the brain this principle resides in ; but it is almost needless to say that the whole are evi- dently chimerical. From experiments which have been made on living animals it has been ascertained that a very considerable portion of the cerebrum may be removed without life being destroyed ; but no nerves pass from any part of the cerebrum to structures whose constant action is necessary to the supportof life. Parts of vital importance are supplied with nerves which arise from, or are connected with