The Relation of Science and Religion.pdf - Online Christian Library

HIGHER ORGANISMS. 217placed underneath, and directly above the upperpart of the spine. Most important ofthese is the cere6ellunz1 or little brain, whosefunctions are now generally believed to b'eclosely connected with the equilibrium of thebody when moving. Somewhat nearer thecentre, and quite under the brain proper isthe pons or bridge, providing for the interlacingof the fibres on their way out from thethe central organ, and just below that are certainelongated bodies (medulla 06longata), consistingof masses of fibre just above the spinalcord.Before closing this very brief and hasty descriptionof the nerve system, there is onepeculiarly striking arrangement to which specialreference may be made. The mass ofnerve fibre which passes down within theback-bone constituting the spinal column,which is formed in two divisions equivalentto the hemispheres of the brain, gives out ateach of the vertebr~ or spinal joints a supplyof nerve for the portion of the body contiguous.This supply is sent out from each sideof the column, and issues in two roots, a posteriorand anterior; the posterior root being abody of sensory nerves, the anterior root of