An experimental inquiry concerning the reproduction of nerves ... / [John Haighton].

  • Haighton, John, 1755-1823
Date:
[1795]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An experimental inquiry concerning the reproduction of nerves ... / [John Haighton]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    entertain hopes of his recovery, and had that eventually hap¬ pened, I doubt much whether, even under the present uncer¬ tainty of things, I could have resisted the temptation of ascrib¬ ing such recovery to the reproduction of the nerves ; but the event put a stop to my speculation. \ I think 1 have now proved my first position, (viz.) that whether the eighth pair of nerves be divided in immediate succession, so as to deprive an animal of their influence sud¬ denly, or whether this deprivation be effected in a more gra¬ dual way, the consequences are in the end equally fatal. I must next endeavour to avail myself of this fact in the solution of the problem now before me. If the substance of nerve be re¬ produced, certainly a period longer than the above must be necessary for this process; but to mark the precise point of time when the line is to be drawn, would require the sacrifice of more animals than a question of mere curiosity could jus¬ tify. I must, therefore, content myself with giving a general answer to the question, and inquire whether, by suspending the division of the second nerve for a much greater length of time than was done in the two last experiments, the existence of the animal could be preserved. EXPERIMENT. Another dog being procured, and one of the nerves of the eighth pair divided, I allowed six weeks to elapse before the other was cut through. This division of the corresponding nerve evidently deranged him; but in a much less degree than in the former experiments. For some days he refused solid food, but took milk; afterwards he ate solid food in small quantities ; and near a month had passed away before he fed