Natural educational image, ideal for an elegant and natural decoration - Human nervous system by Charles d'Orbigny

Engraving reproduction of: Human nervous system

Illustration taken from the Universal Dictionary of Natural History, written under the direction of Charles Henry Dessalines d'Orbigny (1806-1876) and published from 1841 to 1849.

This work, considered one of the major achievements of the 19th century in terms of scientific synthesis and quality popularization, wonderfully illustrating the great beauty and impressive diversity of the biological world, was supplemented by a certain amount of scientific information, some extracts of which are reproduced below.

Important note: the scientific classification elements of the time have been preserved as they are and may of course be obsolete today.

Scientific classification and description of the species present in the engraving:

Class of Mammals
Subclass of Men
Human nervous system

Fig. 1. The cerebrospinal axis (one-quarter natural size), seen from the inferior surface.

AA, the cerebral lobes or hemispheres.
B, the median or inter-hemispherical longitudinal fissure.
CC, the Sylvian fissure between the anterior and middle lobes.
DD, the cerebellum.
E, the annular protuberance.
G, the cervical region of the spinal cord.
I, the boundary of the dorsal region and the lumbar region of the spinal cord.
tt, communication nets of the posterior bundles of the cervical nerves, inside the vertebral canal.
vv, the posterior branch of the spinal nerves.
v' v', the anterior branch of the spinal nerves, stronger than the posterior.

1, olfactory nerves (1st pair)
2, optic nerves (2nd pair)
3, common ocular motor nerves (3rd pair)
4, pathetic nerves (4th pair)
5, trigeminal nerves (5th pair)
6, external ocular abductor motor nerves (6th pair)
7, facial nerves (hard portion of the 7th pair)
8, auditory nerves (soft portion of the 7th pair; 8th pair)
9, glossopharyngeal nerves (9th pair)
10, pneumogastric nerves (10th pair)
11, hypoglossal nerves (11th pair)
12, spinal nerves, accessories of Willis, or upper respiratory nerves of Charles Bell.
13 to 20, the eight pairs of nerves of the cervical region, distinguished as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc., counting from top to bottom.
21 to 32, the twelve pairs of nerves of the dorsal region.
33 to 37, the five pairs of nerves of the lumbar region.
38 to 43, the six pairs of nerves of the sacral region.

Fig. 2. Right external surface of the brain.

C, Sylvian fissure, between the anterior and middle lobes of the brain.
D, the cerebellum.
G, the medulla oblongata, or medulla oblongata.

Fig. 3. Right internal surface of the brain.

D, the cerebellum.
G, the medulla oblongata, or medulla oblongata.
P, the pituitary gland.

Fig. 4. Cross section of the brain taken at the level of the SUPERIOR SURFACE OF THE CORPS CALLOSUM.

A, the corpus callosum (upper surface)
D, the cerebellum.

Fig. 5. Cross section of the brain passing through the middle of the corpus callosum.

a, the corpus callosum.
b, the septum lucidum, or transparent partition of the lateral ventricles.
c, the optical layers.
d, the pineal gland.
e, the quadrigeminal tubercles.
G, the medulla oblongata, or medulla oblongata.