The Arkansas advocate., 1836-11-18

II Remarkable Cdse.-Ne have been kindly permit ted to extract from report recently made to the New fork Chronological Society, by is Secretary as one o committee appointed investigate the phenomena connected with fracture of the skull and the eonsee quen mental manifestation. The subject of ihis con mitfee's examnaton. small child of Mir James MaPes, which at he time of the accident alluded to was two years of age.-Ahoul two years since lbis chId whilst leaning out of the dormant window of inc three story brick house No. 42 Green street. e9vt : ungy lost it's balance and precpitated beadona to the pavement below--Before reaching the sidewaD; she struck against the iron railing of the steps by which her skull was most horribly iactured. On femovin6 her to the house she supposed by her parents and the distinguished medical gentleman, Dr. Mott, who had been called, to be irreeoverably injured. Dr., who had also been ealed felt desiroas perform an operation, deeming possible to procrasnate is dis sootion and by removing the pressure Of the skull un. on the bran, to effect temporary restoration of he chd's faculties. This would, it was thought afford transient satisfaction 10 the parerts
 The operation was accordingly undertaken first by trepanning and afterwards by saving transyersey across the skull and then ateralY, so as to remove portion of the skull three and half by four inches square, It was found that the membrane had not been ruptured, and consequently, that the cerebral organs were nnnjured, except from the eoncussion
 II ne scap hayfng besr carefully iait back and se- cured5 the child recovered, and indicated even more than it's wonled manifestation of mind
 The most remarkable fact in this case was that the child previous to the accident, evidently from some a-coniormation-ha not manifested the intellectual powers common to children of that age, whereas on It's recovery from the physical disability, exhibited extraordinary acueness of perception and strength of the reflective faculties. The sentiments were also re- markedly active and susceptible. The committee on placing the hand upon the inegnments immediately covering the bfan and requiring the chds mnd to be exerelsed by process calling into activity compound a Ypeive tha the brain had been thrown by the mental effort. The pertufbauons were rapid and oftenilnes violent Diff terent faculties were called into activity, by varying the kind of subjects presented to the mind of the child and Varatlons ln the agitation of the brain, followed the change of the subject The motions of the brain were sometimes like the vibrations of string when violently struck, and at other times like the equal undu- latlons of q wave.
 It IS quite apparent in this case that the faculties in the manifestations ot which those portions of the cere- bral mass Iying directly beneath the crania fracture were mostly affected by the accident and also, that the canse of mental mbecilily previous to that circum- stance, attributable to the pressure of the sklI on the brain. Ihls IS found to be no very uncommon circumstance. Numerous cases are recorded in the medical books of similar nature. The agitation of the brain on the excitement of the mind, correspond ed exactly with case of Sir Astey C0oper's in which the brain being exposed and the patient made 10 exer- cise hs mind powerfully, the brain was actually pro- truded by the mental efforts lines above the skull but which receded on the relaxation of thought 4 case o similar kind also occurred n this city some time since. lady having been confined n the Lu- nac Asylum, for insanity visited one day bv her husband. Whilst he the room conversng with the keeper, his wife, watching the opportunity escaped from the door, and sprnging her husbands wagon drove of with much rapidty, render her beng overaken quite Impossible
 Dashing down the streets, she came to her former residences when rapidly turning her vehicle into the yard, 1t upset and she thrown head first against the wall of the house. by which her scu was fractured No other material effect, however, produced, save the complete restoration of her mind to sanity and healhfu action, and of course 10 the enjoyment of her family and friends. This Is but one of the many cases proving insanity to be oftentes the result of pressure on the brain and that always, cosequence, nsa- nlty IS caused by the disease Arrangement of that organ.-N. [. Sun.