He was the first to ascertain, not by accident, but by careful and laborious dissections and experiments, and by a cautious induction from the phenomena which his talents and unwearying industry enabled him to develope, that the nerves which we trace in the body are not single nerves possessing different powers, but are bundles of different nerves whose filaments arf, enclosed in one common sheath, but which are as distinct in function as they are in origin; that they depend for their specific attributes on the nervous masses to which they are severally attached; that the spinal nerves arising from the lateral and anterior columns of the medulla spinalis convey the power of motion, while the nerves arising from the posterior strands communicate the faculty of sensation to the several parts of the body to which they are distributed." The nerves which arise from the middle and upper columns of the spinal marrow. Sir Charles conceived to be designed for the act of respiration; and these he termed the "system of respiratory nerves."
Having thus established the principle by anatomy and experiment, that the nerves possess distinct functions in correspondence with their origin from different parts of the brain and spinal marrow, Sir Charles Bell followed up his inquiries by collecting such pathological facts as served to illustrate and confirm the opinions he had advanced ; and our Transactions are enriched by numerous memoirs relating to this most important subject. His essays on the nerves of the face in health and disease are of the deepest interest, and their practical value cannot be too highly estimated. In fact, the great advancement which has been made of late years in our knowledge of he nature and treatment of the diseases of the nervous system, is mainly attributable to the labours and discoveries of Sir Charles Bell<r2>.
- A list of Sir Charles Bell's contributions to the Philosophical Trans-
actions is subjoined.
1. On the ^serves ; giving an Account of some Experiments on their Structure and Functions, which lead to a new arrangement of the Svstem. (Phil. Trans. 1S21, p. 39S.)
2. Of the Xei-^-es which associate the ^Muscles of the Chest, in the actions of Breathing, Speaking and Expression ; being a continuation of the paper on the Structure and Functions of the Xerves. (Ibid. 1822, p. 284.)
3. On the ^Motions of the Eye, in illustration of the Uses of the ^luscles and Xen-es of the Orbit. (Ibid. 1S23, p. 166.)
4. Second part of the paper on the Xerves of the Orbit. (Ibid. 1823, p. 2890
5. On the Xer-'ous Circle which connects the voluntary INIuscles with the Brain. (Ibid. 1526, Part II. p. 163.)
6. On the Nerves of the Face ; being a second paper on that subject. (Ibid. 1829, p. 317.)
7. Of the Organs of the Human Voice. (Ibid. 1832, p. 299-)
8. On the Functions of some parts of the Brain, and on the relations be- tween the Brain and Xerves of ^Motion and Sensation. (Ibid. 1S34, p. 471.)
9. Continuation of a paper on the Relations between the Xerves of Motion and Sensation, and the Brain ; more particularly on the Structure of the Medulla oblongata and the Spinal Marrow. (Ibid. 1835, p. 255.)
10. On the Xervous System. (Ibid. 1840, p. 245.)
