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Abstract, 'Summary of a paper on the resemblance between the effects of the section of the sympathetic nerve in the neck and of a transverse section of a lateral half of the spinal cord' by [Charles Edward] Brown-Sequard

Reference number: AP/39/41

Date: 1857

Description

Brown-Sequard presents a list of the effects on the corresponding side of the face of the cutting of the cervical sympathetic nerve, and a list of the effects on the posterior limb of the corresponding side of the cutting of a lateral half of the spinal cord. He concludes that 'if we compare the side of the face where the sympathetic has not been divided, with the posterior limb on the uninjured side of the spinal cord, we find that they also have a great many points of resemblance. They both receive less blood than usual, their temperature diminishes, their nutrition is less active, and their vital properties also diminish'.

Subject: Biology / Neuroscience

Received 25 June 1857. Communicated by James Paget.

A version of this paper was published in volume 8 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'Summary of a paper (to be presented) on the resemblance between the effects of the section of the sympathetic nerve in the neck and of a transverse section of a lateral half of the spinal cord'.

Reference number
AP/39/41
Earliest possible date
1857
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
2 pages
Format
Manuscript

Creator name

Charles Edward Brown-Sequard

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Citation

Charles Edward Brown-Sequard, Abstract, 'Summary of a paper on the resemblance between the effects of the section of the sympathetic nerve in the neck and of a transverse section of a lateral half of the spinal cord' by [Charles Edward] Brown-Sequard, 1857, AP/39/41, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_39_41/abstract-summary-of-a-paper-on-the-resemblance-between-the-effects-of-the-section-of-the-sympathetic-nerve-in-the-neck-and-of-a-transverse-section-of-a-lateral-half-of-the-spinal-cord-by-charles-edward-brown-sequard, accessed on 09 December 2025

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  • Archived Papers

    The 'Archived Papers' collection is comprised of original manuscript scientific papers and letters submitted to the Royal Society which remained unpublished or were abstracted in the journal 'Proceedings of the Royal Society' published from 1830 onwards.

    Dates: 1768 - 1989

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