Sidney Ochs begins his survey with a chronological look at the history of nerves from the fifth century B.C. to the early eighteenth century to demonstrate the development of our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of neuronal function. Ochs then adopts a thematic approach, considering key topics from the eighteenth century to the present. The volume will serve as an invaluable resource for historians of neuroscience and medicine, philosophers of science and medicine, and neuroscientists.