On the nerves; giving an account of some experiments on their structure and functions, which lead to a new arrangement of the system / [Sir Charles Bell].

  • Bell, Charles, Sir, 1774-1842
Date:
1821
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the nerves; giving an account of some experiments on their structure and functions, which lead to a new arrangement of the system / [Sir Charles Bell]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    accustomed, in teaching these doctrines; and they were pleased to say, that in this way, a new subject would be more readily comprehended. * Intricacy of the nervous system. Anatomists have of late, not only in this country, but also in Germany and Italy, made great improvement in the minute dissection and display of the nerves; but whilst the doctrines hitherto received prevail, the discovery of new branches of nerves, and new ganglia, only involve the subject in deeper obscurity. Whilst the nerves are supposed to proceed from one great centre, to have the same structure and functions, and to be all sensible, and all of them to convey what has been vaguely called nervous power, these discoveries of new nerves and ganglia are worse than useless; they increase the intricacy, and repel enquiry. The endless confusion of the subject induces the physician, instead of taking the ner- vous system as the secure ground of his practice, to dismiss it from his course of study, as a subject presenting too great irregularity for legitimate investigation or reliance. When the physiologist sees two distinct nerves spreading their branches to every part of the face, (as in PI. XXX.) three nerves from different sources given to the tongue, four to the throat, and nerves in most perplexing intricacy to the neck; when he finds one nerve with numerous ganglia or knots upon . it, and another without them ; when, in short, after a minute dissection of the nervous system, he finds a mesh, or network, spreading everywhere, it is not surprising that the seeming intricacy and confusion should make him, in despair, resign enquiry. But the Author of this paper being forced, in the