Results of hemisection of the spinal cord in monkeys / by Frederick W. Mott ; communicated by Professor Schäfer.

  • Mott, F. W. (Frederick Walker), 1853-1926.
Date:
1892
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Results of hemisection of the spinal cord in monkeys / by Frederick W. Mott ; communicated by Professor Schäfer. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    Case VI. Rhoesus (J.—The spinal cord was exposed about the 6th dorsal, then a median incision was made and a small blunt instrument introduced so as to destroy the central grey matter. The next day the animal was apparently none the worse, there being no paralysis and no loss of sensation. Ten days later the cord was again exposed and a hemisection made upon the left side at the 6th to 7th dorsal segment. This was followed by complete paralysis on the left side. 1st day.—Temperature of right popliteal space ranch higher than the left. Feet dipped in hot water; the animal showed signs of feeling on both sides. 7th day.— The same x’esult. 16th day.—Clip test applied. Immediately removed from the right side, not from the left. The animal etherized, and a clip placed on the sole of each foot. When it recovered consciousness it removed the clip from the right non-paralyzed foot, leaving the other hanging on. 28th day.—Bilateral movements returning. Clip test, same result as before. 39th day.—Anaesthetized with ether. Faradic stimulation of the motor region of the right hemisphere with a moderate cui'rent evoked the usual movements of the left arm and hand, but stimulation of the leg ai-ea produced no movement Avhatever of the left leg, even when the stimulus was increased so much as to be unbearable when the electrodes were applied to the tip of the tongue; frequently, however, a movement in the muscles of the thigh, leg, and foot of the same side was observed. The animal was then killed with chloroform, and the cord removed and hardened in the usual manner. Photo-micrograph 6, Plate 1, shows the complete destruction of one-half of the cord at the seat of the lesion. Case VIL Hemisection of the cord at the level of the 3rd dorsal on the right side. After the section had been made a blunt probe was pushed into the gap formed, so as to complete the severance of the nerve structures. 1st day after operation. Temperature right popliteal space 98° „ left „ „ 99°-8 The right foot was dry and swollen, but the temperature could not be obtained on either side. Sensory Test (Hot Water Test).—The animal feels on both sides when the feet are dipped in hot water. Pricking ivith a Needle.—Pricking about the root of the tail is felt and localized much better on the left (non-paralyzed side) than the right; moreover, a muscular reflex is excited much more readily on the left side than the right. Complete paralysis of the right leg. 4th day.—Tested the animal with Dr. Sherrington, who considered that the animal felt better on the non-paralyzed side. Knee-jerk exaggerated on the paralyzed side. 13th day.—Clip test applied for the first time. My assistant attracted the animal’s attention with pieces of apple while I applied the forceps to the skin of the paralyzed foot. No notice was taken of this for some time. Then the left non-paralyzed foot was lifted up, inspected, and scratched in exactly the same situation as that to which the forceps were hanging on the other foot. This manoeuvre was repeated several times, but no attempt was made to remove the clip from the paralyzed foot. The animal then began to struggle, it saw the forceps and immediately removed them. When it was quite quiet again and occupied in obtaining pieces of apple, unobserved by the animal I placed the pair of clip forceps upon the non-paraljzed foot. The animal immediately drew up the log and took them off. The animal was