Architecture of the Brain

In the following description of the Central Nervous System it is not intended to rehearse minute details which can be found in the many excellent works upon anatomy, but to place in view in as clear and concise a manner as possible the general architecture of the central nervous system, and to trace the relation and continuity of its parts. When a general knowledge of the structure of the brain is acquired by the student a useful and practical step is gained, because he will not only be able to describe the situation of a lesion and understand the descriptions made by others, but he will be in a situation to intelligently discuss the functions of its parts, and is prepared to work in the field of discovery. The incidental assignment of function to any part of the nervous system in these pages is intended to assist the memory and awaken inquiry. Nothing stimulates the observation to the same extent as the entertainment of a theory, to be demonstrated or corrected by careful observation of facts which fall under one's own notice, or by those which can be obtained from other reliable sources.