The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1879-06-21
THE oLFACToRY SENSE.
Interesting Things which Prof. Huxley
Knows About h.


leads into a passage completely separated
from the other by partition, and these
two passages place the nostrils in free
communication with the back of the
throat, 60 that they freely transmit the
air passing to the lungs when the mouth
is shut, as in ordinary breathing. TIE
floor of each passage is fat, but its roof
is high arch, the crown of which is
seased between the orbital cavities of the
skull, which serves for the Judgement
and protection of the eyes; and, there
fore, lies behind the apparent limits OF
that feature which in ordinary language
is called the nose. From the side walls
Of the upper and back part OF Il ese
arched chambers, certain delicate plates
OF bone project, and these, as well as
considerable part of the partition be-
tweensthe two chambers, are covered by
fine, soft moist membrane. 1t is to
this Schneiderian, or olfactory, membrane
that odorous bodies must obtain direct
access if they are to give rise to their ap-
propriate sensations; and it is upon
the relatively large surface which
the olfactory membrane offers that
we must seek for the seat of the
organ of the olfactory sense. The only
essential part of that organ consists of q
multitude of minute rod like bodies, set
perpendicularly to the surface of the
membrane, and forming a part of the
cellular coat, or epithelium, which COW
ers the oltactory membrane, as the cpl.
dermis covers the skin. In the case of
the olfactory sense. there can be no
doubt that the democratic hypothesis,
at any rate for such odorous substances
as musk, has a good foundation. Inf.
Intestinal particles of musk fly off from
the surface of the odorous body, and, be.
coming diffused through the air, are car
ried into the nasal passages, and thence
into the olfactory chambers. where. they
come into contact with the Harmonious
extremities OF the delicate olfactory
spithelium. But this is not all. The
mind" is not, so to speak, upon the
other side of the epithelium. On the
contrary. the inner ends of the olfactory
cells are connected with the nerve fibres-
passing into the cavity of the skull, at
length end in part of the brain, the
olfaetory sensorium. 1t is certain that
the integrity of each, and the physical
inter~conneetion Of all the three struct-
ures, the epithelium of the sensory
organ, the nerve fbres and the sensori-
UNI, are essential conditions of ordinary
sensation. That is to say, the air in the
olfactory chambers may be charged with |
particles of musk but if either the cpl
thelium or the nerve fibres, or the sense
rum are injured or physically discon.
neeted from one another, sensation will
not arise. Moreover, the epithelium
may be said to be receptive, the nerve
fbres transmissive and the sensorium sem
sifacient. For, in the act of smelling,
the particles OF the odorous substance
produce a molecular change (Which |
Hartley was in all probability right in
terming yibration) in the cpl thelium
and this change, being transmitted
to the nerve fibres, passes along them
with a measurable velocity, and,
finally reaching the sensorium, is
Immediately followed by the sensation.
Thus, modern investigation supplies a
representative ofsthe epicurean sinus
lacra in the volatile particles of the
musk, but it also gives us the stamp of
the particles on the olfactory epithelium,
without any transmission of matter, as
the equivalent of the Aristotelian |
Storm" while, finally, the modes Of
motion of the molecules.of the olfactory
cell, of the nerve, and of the cerebra
ensorium, which are Hartley's vibra-
lions, may stand very well for double
of the ''intentioual species" of the school
men. And this, last remark is not in
tended merely to suggest the fanciful
parallel; for, if the cause of the sensa,
tion is. as analogy.suggests, % be sought
ia the mode of motion OF the object OF |
sense, then it is quite possible that the |
particular mode Of motion of the object |
Ia produced in the sensorium exactly as
the diaphragm of telephone produces
the mode of motion taken up at its
receiving end. In other words, the
secondary intentional species" may be,