On counting cranial nerves.
The enumeration of the cranial nerves is traced briefly from Galen's seven to Willis' ten and to von Sömmerring's twelve. The system of von Sömmerring, which has been followed for some 200 years, is a useful convention, although it is merely one of several possibilities. The naming of the cranial nerves was standardized nearly 100 years ago.
O'Rahilly
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Carnegie Laboratories of Embryology, California Primate Research Center, Davis.
D003391:Cranial Nerves / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D009445:Neuroanatomy / Q000193:education / Q000266:history