When I had the honour of laying before the Royal Society my former researches on the structure of the spinal chord, I intimated an intention of preparing another communication on the structure of the medulla oblongata and cerebellum; but as many important points in the minute anatomy of the chord still remained in obscurity, I thought it advisable to make them first the subject of special inquiry, as far as the new method I employed would enable me to proceed. Moreover, as all investigations into the structure of any organ have, or ought to have, for their object a clearer and better knowledge of its functions, I have undertaken also to communicate in this paper whatever physiological deductions may appear to follow from my observations. Having no particular theory to support, and being influenced in these inquiries by no other feeling than the simple desire to elicit truth, the greatest care has been taken to verify my facts, and caution has been exercised in drawing conclusions from them. It is a question of great interest and physiological importance, whether the roots of the spinal nerves belong exclusively to the spinal chord, or whether part of them ascend within either the white or the grey columns, and form the channels by which impressions are transmitted to and from the brain. On account of its interest and importance, I have employed much time and labour in endeavouring to arrive at some well-grounded and settled conclusion on this very difficult subject, having devoted to it alone many hours daily for nearly five months. So extremely intricate, however, is the internal structure of the chord; so numerous are the planes in which the nerve-roots enter the grey substance; and so various are the directions which they pursue within it, that notwithstanding the perfect transparency of my preparations, and the sharp outline which their fibres retain, my efforts to determine the exact relation between these roots and the white and grey columns appeared for some time almost hopeless; but by varying my dissections according to the exigencies of each case of difficulty, I succeeded in arriving at several results which I believe will be considered important.
PSM Poster Session 7 ‐ Spinal Chord