Page:The Harveian oration, 1873.djvu/50

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for the activity of many organs, a paralysing and inactivity of certain nerve-centres in connection with them is a prerequisite. The activity of such, indeed of most, organs is but intermittent and occasional, being but intermittently and occasionally called for, whilst the constringing activity of the sympathetic has to be constantly at work to prevent waste of force[1].

Owsjannikow's paper (also to be found in Ludwig's Arbeiten, 6th year, 1871, and in the Bericht Math.-Phys.-Klass. K. S. Gesellsch. Wissench., Leipzig) just referred to, and published two years subsequently to Dr. Rutherford's, gives, as the result of a number of experiments performed in Professor Ludwig's laboratory at Leipzig on rabbits, and independently at St. Petersburgh on cats, the conclusion that the ganglionic centres of inner

  1. ↑ The phenomenon of the distension of the corpora cavernosa, a phenomenon used by Harvey himself in the way of illustration (p. 129 of the Epistola Secunda ad Riolanum), I may adduce in the way of illustration also, being, as it is, dependent upon a similar nervous mechanism; and being shown so unmistakeably, in cases where it follows lesions in the nuchal region, to result from paralysis of nerve-centres situated there or thereabouts.
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