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Physiology at the British Association

Nature (London), 1902-10, Vol.66 (1722), p.664-666 [Peer Reviewed Journal]

ISSN: 0028-0836 ;EISSN: 1476-4687 ;DOI: 10.1038/066664a0

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  • Title:
    Physiology at the British Association
  • Is Part Of: Nature (London), 1902-10, Vol.66 (1722), p.664-666
  • Description: PROF. HALLIBURTON, president of the Section, read a paper on the regeneration of nerves, contributed by Dr. Mott and himself. Two opinions existed in regard to the regeneration of nerve-fibres. One set of observers concluded that the new nerve-fibres sprout out from the central stump of the divided nerve-trunk. This was the opinion of by far the larger number of workers. The other opinion was that the new nerve-fibres were of peripheral origin. Those who held the latter view relied almost entirely upon histological evidence. But a strand of cells that looked like a nerve-fibre to the microscope might nevertheless be not physiologically a nerve-fibre, inasmuch as it might be quite unable to be excited as a true nerve-fibre is or to conduct nerve impulses as a nerve-fibre can. These functional performances were the true criteria for nerve-fibres. Among recent observers, Howell and Pluber, who had used both histological and experimental methods, had arrived at the conclusion that the axis cylinder, the essential portion of a nerve-fibre, had an exclusively central origin; they admitted that the peripheral tissues in which it was embedded were active in preparing and generating a nutritive scaffolding for it. With Dr. Mott he had come to experimental results which, so far as they at present went, confirmed those by Howell and Huber. One experiment they had performed was to divide a large nerve and suture the ends together. After a sufficient length of time had passed, restoration of function occurred, and this was taken as a sign that regeneration had successfully ensued. Then they exposed the nerve-trunk anew. The union of the two ends was then found to have been accomplished, and on testing the nerve it was found to be excitable by faradisation when the stimulus was applied either below or above the point of reunion of the divided trunk. A piece of the nerve-trunk was then excised some little distance below the point of reunion; on microscopical examination of this, new nerve-fibres were discovered within it. Subsequent to this second operation, the wound was closed up and the animal was finally sacrificed ten days later. When the animal was finally then examined, the nerve both above and below the second section was once more tested for response to electric stimulation. The peripheral piece was then found to have become once more inexcitable. Degeneration had also set in within the fibres of the peripheral piece of the nerve-trunk. Prof. Halliburton urged that this showed that the degenerative process which followed the direction of growth had occurred in a peripheral direction only and had not started at the periphery. Observations were also mentioned indicating that normal functional activity exercised an important influence on the speed and perfection of the process of nerve repair. Paralysis was induced in the arm of the monkey by section of a number of the cervico-brachial afferent spinal roots. By this device, the motor cells of the cord in that region, namely, the cells whence originate the motor nerve-fibres of the limb, are cut off from the influence of all impulses coming to them reflexly from the sensory nerves of the limb itself. A large nerve-trunk in the arm is then divided and the corresponding nerve-trunk of the opposite non-paralysed limb is likewise cut, the latter as a control experiment. Union of the ends of the divided nerves occurred on both sides, but on the side on which the afferent roots had been cut the union was much slower and less perfect, as shown both by histological and by electrical examination of the nerve.
  • Language: English
  • Identifier: ISSN: 0028-0836
    EISSN: 1476-4687
    DOI: 10.1038/066664a0
  • Source: Alma/SFX Local Collection
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