Surgery of the Sympathetic Nervous System

The concept that the autonomic nervous system is concerned purely with motor innervation of the smooth muscle of the viscera dates back to the last half of the nineteenth century and the work of Claude Bernard,1Gaskell2and Langley.3In recent years the antagonistic action of the craniosacral and the sympatho-adrenal systems has been intensively investigated by the physiologists and Cannon4gave it the appropriate name of homeostasis. Through this efficient and entirely automatic mechanism, the body adapts itself to the constantly fluctuating stresses and emotions of life. Without it, as Cannon has shown, life is still possible in a perfectly protected environment. But all forms of active endeavor and conflict with unfavorable reality are no longer possible. It has been known for many years that the action of this system of nerves is not under the control of the will but is under the control of the emotions. More