A description of the distribution of the nerves of the human body; with elementary physiological and surgical observations: including Mr. Brookes's nomenclature of the nervous system ... / by G.D. Dermott.

  • Dermott, G. D. (George Darby), 1802-1847.
Date:
1830
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A description of the distribution of the nerves of the human body; with elementary physiological and surgical observations: including Mr. Brookes's nomenclature of the nervous system ... / by G.D. Dermott. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    laboured and slow; in the natural pro¬ cess of dying Respiration stops, and the action of the Heart subsequently ceases as a natural consequence; we see that the stomach is partially a Respiratory Organ, or that its nervous sensibility is one with the Lungs and Respiratory Muscles; for irritation of the Stomach by nervous con¬ nection or sympathy, occasions convulsive action of the Diaphragm, constituting Hick- up; a still greater irritation of the Sto¬ mach produces by sympathy a still greater degree of irritation of the Diaphragm, and also of the Abdominal Muscles, which ex¬ cites these into strong action, whereby the Stomach is forcibly compressed and its contents are ejected, constituting the act of vomiting. 9th pair, or Motores Lingua, are vo¬ luntary nerves, which carry Volition to the tongue; the tongue has great mobility, particularly in females. All the Nerves of Peculiar Senses arise from some Specific Masses of the Medul¬ lary Substance of the Brain. All the Cere¬ bral Nerves conveying Volition, arise from one certain tract of Medullary Matter in the Base of the Brain. The Cerebral Nerves conveying Common Sensation, (Nervi Trigemini,) arise from another cer¬ * Above these Tracts of Medullary Mat¬ ter, we have the Mass of Cerebral Substance, which contains the Intellectual or Mental powers, and which is continuous, or one in substance with these Tracts and Masses, that give origin to the Nerves, constitute the Base of the Brain, and Parts near to the Base. t One in each side of the Base of the Brain. X One in each side of the Base of the Brain. § It will be here necessary for me to ex¬ plain some particulars connected with the Anatomy of the Spinal Marrow. The Spinal Marrow, like the Brain, is contained in an Osseous Cavity, which is a Canal, formed by the aggregation of all the vertebrae when they are in an articulated state. This canal is called the Specus Vertebrarum. The contents of it, consist of the Spinal Marrow (as it is termed), its Membranes, the two Sinus Ve- nosi, and the Commencements of the Nerves. The Spinal Marrow is continuous with the Medulla Oblongata, within the Foramen Mag¬ num Occipitale; and, as it is continued through the Specus Vertebrarum, it is large, like the Specus, in the Cervical Vertebrae; it becomes like the Specus, considerably smaller in the Dorsal Vertebrae; and again enlarging like the Specus in the lower Dorsal Vertebrae, it subsequently terminates within the Specus of the first Lumbar Vertebrae, in the adult, by tapering into the Cauda Equina. This is composed of two primary Large An¬ terior Columns of medullary matter, and two Smaller Posterior Columns of medullary mat- tain tract of Medullary Matter in the Base of the Brain. The Respiratory Cerebral Nerves arise from another certain tract of Medullary Matter in the Base of the Brain. All these Nerves are, individually, Nerves conveying only one Single Function, except the Nervi Trigemini, which arise by one Fasciculus from the Tract of Voluntary Motion, and by another Fasciculus from the Tract of Common Sensation; thereby conveying a Double Function, or, speak¬ ing more technically, it is a Compound Nerve* * * § The Spinal Marrow and Spinal Nerves. Continuations of the two f Tracts of Medullary Matter, which give rise to the Cerebral Voluntary Nerves, extend down¬ wards through the Foramen Magnum, so as to constitute the tivo Anterior or Larger Columns of the Spinal Marrow. Conti¬ nuations of the two | Tracts of Medullary Matter which give rise to parts of those cerebral nerves which convey Common Sensation (Nervi Trigemini) extend down¬ wards through the Foramen Magnum, and constitute the two Posterior and Lesser Columns ofi the Spinal Marrow. § ter; and the Anterior and Posterior Columns of medullary matter are separated at each side of the Medulla Spinalis by a longitudinal in¬ terstice, extending downwards throughout the whole length of the side of the Medulla Spi¬ nalis ; whilst the two Anterior Columns are separated from each other by a similar longi¬ tudinal interstice in front of the Medulla Spi¬ nalis ; and the two smaller Posterior Columns are also separated from each other by a simi¬ lar longitudinal interstice in the posterior side of the Medulla Spinalis. Thus the Medulla Spinalis is composed of four Columns of Me¬ dullary or Nervous Matter; and is broad be¬ fore (formed by the two anterior columns), and narrow behind (formed by the two pos¬ terior columns) ; so as to be adapted to the form of the transverse area of the Specus Vertebrarum. These columns, too, are made up of Medullary Fibres, or Fasciculi, which have the same longitudinal, zigzag, arrangement as those of the nerves. The interior of each of these columns is formed of a peculiar Cineritious-like Sub¬ stance ; and the Cineritious Centres of each are continuous—by which means, alone, the four Medullary Columns are united together in substance ; so that the interstices separat¬ ing the Columns pass as deep as this Ciner¬ itious Centre of Decussation, common to the substance of the four Columns; and this Cineritious Centre must be continued, in the form of a Crucial Lamella, through the whole length of the Spinal Marrow : thus, this Cru¬ cial-like Decussation of the Cineritious Cen¬ tres unites the substance of the four Columns