Preliminary Observations on the Locomotor system of Medusae in the Proceedings of the Royal Society, 1875

1875. Octavo. Vol. 24, No. 165. pp. 143-151. Romanes' work with electro-stimulation directly influenced W. H. Gaskell in his artificial production of heart block, the name for which Gaskell based on an expression of Romanes. The late Sam Hessel noted that this was one of three reports that make up Garrison-Morton 632. George John Romanes (1848-1894) was a noted British biologist and physiologist. Much of his work concerned evolution and physiologic selection. His observations and dissections of jellyfish (with the microscopic work of his associate Edward Shafer) showed that there was indeed a network of nerve-fibers which presumably conducted impulses. (truncated) Schafer emphasized the similarity of the tissues to that found in higher animals. This work laid the foundation for the idea of discrete nerve units (neurons) and the so-called "Neuron theory". Charles Sherrington used this work as one of his underpinnings of his later and more extensive researches on the structure of the nervous system. Bound in printed pale green wraps printed in black, small red stamp to front wrap, minor chipping to spine ends. (Inventory #: 025925)