Three papers on the nerves of the encephalon, as distinguished from those arising from the spinal marrow / by Sir Charles Bell.

  • Bell, Charles, Sir, 1774-1842.
Date:
1838
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Three papers on the nerves of the encephalon, as distinguished from those arising from the spinal marrow / by Sir Charles Bell. 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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    the hand is insensible to the pressure of affection, then the chest rises high at each inspiration, and the muscles of inspiration are prominent in action. When, through increasing insensibility, the limbs lie relaxed and powerless, the muscles of the shoulders, neck, throat, and nostrils, are visibly excited, and at each inspiration (although we cannot say there is effort, that being an in- fluence of the mind), yet each fibre of the class of respiratory muscles is like a cord in violent tension. When the decay of life reaches the respiratory system, it first affects the lesser muscles which expand the air-tubes, the muscles of the glottis and velum palati lose their tone, and these parts becoming relaxed, vibrate in the inspira- tion of the breath, and cause stertor. At length the regularity of the respiration is disturbed—there is an inter- val between the inspiration—the interval is prolonged and irregular, and the action returns with sudden violence, every muscle starts convulsively into action, but with no voluntary effort or struggle. The longer the interval of rest, the more sudden and startling is the return of action, and when we deem all at rest, once more the breath is drawn. At last the action ceases in the chest, whilst yet the throat and cheeks are pulled with a regular succession of actions, and the last fibre which answers to the presence of life, is the Risorius Sancto- rini and muscles of the nostril. Two or three times the Risorius is drawn with spasmodic twitchings, and then all is still. It is the ultima moriens. We can hardly miss noticing the resemblance here to natural sleep, the ab- sence of all sense and voluntary motion, and the continuance of the respiration by a property of action which knows neither lassitude nor debility. In a Society which does not reject the cultivation of literature with science, I may be permitted to quote the beautiful description of Haller : “ Nocte re- deunte sensim torpor percipitur in musculis longis, ineptitudo ad cogitationes se- veriores, amor quietis in animo et corpore. Tunc peculiariter vires corpus erec- tum tenentes laborant, et oculi nolentes clauduntur, et maxilla inferior pendet, et oscitationis necessitas ingruit, et caput antrorsum nutat, et objectorum exter- norum actiones minus nos adficiunt, et denique turbantur idese,” &c. But, whilst the body, as far as it is subject to the mind, or subject to change through the will, or through passion, is thus at rest, a class of muscles of great extent, seated remote from each other, are combined in simultaneous action. No weariness or exhaustion reaches them. They are most perfect, most regular in action, whilst all besides are at rest. Thus, we may contemplate the body under two conditions: First, Where all is animated, sensitive, and expressive: Secondly, Where the body has the sem- blance of death, and the active powers are at rest. It is natural to seek in the anatomy, and especially in the nervous system, for some correspondence in the structure: nor shall we have far to seek.