THE "LAW OF WALLERIAN DEGENERATION"

WALLER, AUGUSTUS.

Experiments on the Section of the Glossopharyngeal and Hypoglossal Nerves of the Frog, and observations of the alterations produced thereby in the Structure of their Primitive Fibres. Communicated by Professor Owen, F.R.S. Received November 22, 1849, - Read Frbruary 21, 1850. [Extract from Phil. Trans., 1850, 140].

(1850). 4to. Disbound. Fine copy. pp. 423-436 + 2 plates.

First printing of the groundbreaking paper that constitutes the starting-point of neuron theory, Waller's pioneering work on the nerves of the frog's tongue, which led him to the discovery of "Wallerian Degeneration". "In a short life span of 54 years, of which a little more than 10 years were spent on research, Augustus Volney Waller offered epoch-making contributions to the understanding of the structure of the nervous system. Waller's pioneering work marked the starting point for the neuron theory and provided an ingenious technique for studying neuroanatomical pathways and connections." (Venita Jay, Augustus Volney Waller).

"Waller showed that if glosso-pharyngeal and hypoglossal nerves are severed, the outer segment, containing the axis-cylinders cut off from the cells, undergoes generation, the central stump remaining intact for a long period. From this he inferred that nerve-cells nourish nerve-fibres." (G&M: 1266).

"To every student of pathology, Waller's name is synonymous with ''Wallerian degeneration.'' Using a simple technique of cutting the nerves of a frog's tongue, Waller found that the distal stump would soon degenerate, while the proximal stump remained relatively intact. From his observations, the astute Waller inferred that nerve cells nourished the nerve fibers. This important work, entitled ''Experiments on the Section of the Glossopharyngeal and Hypoglossal Nerves of the Frog and Observations of the Alterations Produced Thereby in the Structure of Their Primitive Fibers,'' was published in the "Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society" in 1850. Waller's finding that the proximal stump and the cell body did not degenerate was subsequently modified with application of better staining techniques." (Venita Jay).

Garrison & Morton: 1266 ("The "law of Wallerian degeneration". The experiments recorded in the above paper were the starting-point of the neuron theory." ...).

Order-nr.: 48583