CHRISTCHURCH AMBULANCE DIVISION.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17072, 17 February 1921, Page 8

CHRISTCHURCH AMBULANCE DIVISION.

At last night's meeting of the Chrwtclrurch Ambulance Division Dr. P. J. Borrie lectured by special request on the nervous systom. Ho (iefcribed the vaiious cystenia common to different forms of animal life, showing that there were different degrees of complexity 'Jepsndin% on the stage of development the animal had reachM. The pjonkey had a definite cerebrospinal system which, however, was not so highly developed as (hot of man. In the human system thcro was. in addition to the oorcbro-Bpinal system (which controlled the voluntary muscles) a sympathetic system over which the will had no power. This governed tho vital functions automatically. The nervous construction of the hitman body differed little from that of animals except that tho nerve cells were m-uch more numerous. There was a.so a relatively larger proportion of grey matter in the brain. These differences account for the power of iho human mind to reason arA tbirvV, whereas an animal merely possesses instinct nnd memory. Instinat and memory man had to a certain extent, but_ they were hot preserved in. him as well as in the animal. "With the progress of years man neglected to use, misused, ot overused the cells that controlled thofto functions, anu consequently their power diminished. The lecturer then detailed different diseases that had a direct effect on the human brain. Among these were epilepsy and apoplexy. Tho former couM only be treated d<finit;2y where there was a. localised symptom, and that was seldom revealeid except in a certain type of fracture. Apor.lexv was caused by haemorrhage in the brain and had very curious effects. Operative treatment was rarely successful. The wholo of the rervous system was protected by layers of membrane between which flowed the cerebrospinal f.uid. The function of thas flurl was to prevent shock. At the conclusion of the lecture Superintendent Gray moved a hearty vote of thanks to Dr. Borrie, which was carried by accUmatbn.