The native American. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1840, 1839-09-21

louch with HE handle OF the scalpel, and the
olfactory were in the same condition. The corpus
calosum, thalam nervorum opticorum, and
tubercula quadrlgemina, presented no pathological
condition. The cerebelum and medulla oblogata
were in physiological state. The spinatcolumn
was not examined. This boy was remarkably
intelligent. In my daily visits, held frequent
conversations with him, and i'll all my observa-
tons could not discover the slightest derange-
lnent of his intellectual iacultes-no dulness Of
Isenslbllity, no obtuseness OF perception, no I'M
pairment of Judgment, no want OF memory, and,
so far mind is concerned, he gave no evidence
Of disease. His visions, addition, and voice
were unimpaired.
We here have case which presents that por-
ton of the brain from which the nerves arise IN
a physiological condition, and the general nervous
apparatus in a sound state, fit for conveying I'M
pressons, whilst the organ upon which depend
perception and the perfection of ideas is in a.
great degree lost, and what remains is in highly
pathological condition; yet we have all the mani
estaons Of intellect as if the encephaon were
not required in those highest functions. His case
contradicls the opinion Of Sir Charles Bell, that
disease of The general surface OF the brain is al
ways attended with arrangement OF the mind
and it is equally opposed to the views of Desmou-
Inns, Gall, Spurzheim, and others, who contend
that the seat Of intellecon is in the periphery Of
the brain, or its CONCLUSIONS. In like manner
the opinion of Magende is contradiced: that the
sense of sight is always destroyed by removal of
the cerebral hemispheres for here the right
hemisphere was destroyed, and yet vision was per-
feet with either eye. Where, would ask, were
the functions of mind executed in this case In
tellection was performed, the moral faculties were
exercised, and that portion of the brain, in which
we believe those important and complicated ac-
tons are generated and perfected, was either
given briefly, and, hope, clearly, the facts in
hope have not trespassed too much on your time,
by detailing case which presents much interest
to the Psychologist.
ann dear sir, very truly, your friend,
| G. w. BOERSTLE
Professor DuNGLIsoN.
Here then is a case in which all that portion of
the brain which has been assigned by phrenoogy
| to the intellectual functions, viz. Individuality,
Form, Size, Weight. Colorng, Locality, Order,
Time, Number Tune, Language, Comparison,
Causality, Wit, Imitation, Eventually and Won
DER was found in a state of disease and dsOrgani-
cation, and yet not one of those functions destroy
ed or impaired. And it should be borne in mind
mat not one hemisphere OF lne Draln only was
found diseased, for, in such an event, the phre-
nologst would say that although one hemisphere
was dsorganized, the other being healthy, the
sound half performed the functions of both, as
the brain is composed of two symmetrical por-
lions. But in this case the interior obes of both
| the right and left hemispheres of the brain were
diseased, and TO an extent which precludes the
possibility Of any mental operation being per-
formed by them. Take, in connexion with these
facts, the position of the phrenologist, that the
periphery or external portion of the brain is that
in which the mental operations performed,
and what becomes of the doctrine of plurality of
cerebral organs, or separate compartment for
each of the mental functions? As we'll may we
talk of walking without legs, or seeing without
eyes, as to suppose this youth capable of those
intellectual functions which phrenology has placed
in the anterior lobes of the brain, if the doctrine
of separate compartments be true. Under all this
devastation Of cerebral organization, what was
the state Of the boys mind? ''The boys facul-
ties,' says the surgeon, "were not destroyed, but
there was some intellectual confusion, from the
time of the injury, during the operation, and for
two hours after form Which time he recovered
every faculty Of The mind, and they continued
rigorous for sir 1Oeeks, and TO 7uithin one hour
Of his death, achich took place on the forty-third
day.