The intra-cranial circulation and its relation to the physiology of the brain / by James Cappie.

Date:
1890
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The intra-cranial circulation and its relation to the physiology of the brain / by James Cappie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    isolated links. They furnish interesting facts, rather than the explanation of wider phenomena. They show us instruments, but not action. Closeness of vision reveals many minute points of detail, but it interferes with perspective, or our notion of the relation of things in space; nor does it always throw light on that relation of events in time which is due to continuity in the flow of energy. No analysis of sea-water would ever explain the flow and ebb of the tide ; nor will the microscope or test-tube ever explain the flow and ebb of consciousness. Possibly, however, some measure of success may be gained if we hold the brain, as it were, at arm's length, and take a bird's-eye view of its more palpable relations. In this way, I think, we may be enabled to recognize, not only facts, but also sequence. We may possibly get at least a few glimpses of that order of combination and succession which constitutes causation ; that is to say, we may find positions which will naturally tend to the transference or transmutation of energy. To make some small attempt of this sort is, at all events, my present aim. I have a strong conviction that at least the direction I venture to point out is one in which progress is to be made, and I can only hope that one or two of the pathways I have attempted to open up may not be altogether useless to the future explorer. The physiology of the nervous system, says Pro- fessor Foster, is still in its infancy. It can be no unworthy object of ambition in anyone to try and do