Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1842-01-08
by N1asser s. Eisely.
NeNrOlOgY.

1t is great comfort to the curious, who are
not altogether absorbed in currency questions
and can occasionally spare a minute from
watching the wreck Of paper and crush of
stocks, to meet with an article like the sub
joined, from the Louisville Advertiser touch
ing DIR. Buchanan and something new The
account of the experiments cannot fail to inter-
est almost as the presentmcnt of the bankers
These neurological performances are the most
wonderful things yet detaledto the public and
have excited the utmost impatience for q visit
from DR.. Buchanan to this as yet unenlighten-
ed quarter ofthe Union. We may learn from
these statements why the coward scratches be-
hind his ear; why the reasoner rubs his fore
head, and why the puzzled poet applies his di.
gifts to ideality and dsturbs his locks above the
templcs.-The phrenologists have already CIV
en- us the rationale of these involuntary mani
pulatons, and DR.. Buchanan comes to con-
firm the theory. 1t is therefore to be hoped
that he will soon bend his steps hitherward
the discovery is one of the inestimabe impor-
tance in several respects:
From the Louisville Adpertiser.
NEUROL LOGy.
The Cincinnati republican enquired some
days since, what had become of our NEuRoLo-
GIsT and other contemporaries have manifest
ted similar waggish curiosity upon the sub
jcct. We can enlgh,en them. DR.. Buchan-
nan is still in this city, assduously engaged in
repeating his xperiments-perecting the sci
ence ofNEuRoLooy, and applying it 10 its true
purposes-the treatment of disease.
Some of our brother editors, as well as many
with whom we have conversed even HERE, do
not seem to KNOW WHAT NEUROLOGY IS. No
longer since than Wednesday evening, a medi.
cal student informed us that he had all along
regarded it as none other than the yeritabe
science of MEsMERTsM or ANIMAL MAGNETISM,
and was quite astonished on learning that Neu-
rology was merely the PHYSIOLOGY OF THE
NERVOUS SYSTEM, and that the singular expert
ments in which Dr. b. has engaged are design
ed to show the functions of every part Of the
nervous mass contained in the head, by excl
ting that part, by external irritation in such
manner as 10 cause distinct manifestation of
its peculiar properties, whether mental or cor
poIeal.
Those who recognize phrenology as true
science (and who does not-who understand
the mysterious operation of the mind upon the
whole nervous system, through the medium of
It's organ, or mass Of organs, the BRAIN. and
who are aware how readily the different organs
ofthe brain can be recognized, classified, aud
their volume defined by exterior examination
can with readiness comprehend tho whole Sc
cret Of DR.. Buchanan's operations which coll
sist merely, in exciting any organ or combina-
ton of organs to greater activity, by operating
with the fingers upon that portion of the skull
under which they are located. Hunger,
thirst, anger, benevolence, vision, muscular
strength, hearing, &C., may be readily excited
in this way. MEsMERIsM, with its mysterious
manipuatlons, its passes, It's clairvoyant condi.
| tions, its magnetic states and transmissions Of
mental power and ubiquity all operating nde
! pendent of CONTACT, no more resemble the sci
ence of Neurology, as defined and exempifcd
! by DIR. b., than the practice of the FAITH DOC
TORS does the regular practice of medicine.
When our neighbors come to give the mat
ter sober second thought and witness tithe
| of the experiments which DIR. B. has made il
! Louisville, in the presence of hundreds, ant
upon all classes Of subjects, we shall expect tC
! find them more warm in their commentator:
than we have been. We are skeptical people
in Louisville in matters of this kind and yiell
TO nothing which is not sustained by unques
tionable philosophical demonstration, heard anC
seen by ourselves. On Tuesday evening last
Dr. d. made series of experiments in the pre-
sence ofa large company which produced stri
king results. Two ladies', acquaintances an,
friends, were seated near each other, and il
good humor and buoaacy of spirits awaited th'
operation. DIR. B. placed hand on the heaC
of each, upon the organ, called by the French
phrenologists the love of power In few
minutes a scene was got up at once sngula
and amusing. Each brdled up with air of dig
my anu oSii-SouScIt, uiiu nhtS' II. Wlltu dsht'
by DIR. B. what are you thinking of now,' re
piled why, am thinking that feel YER
PROUD To the same question, Mrs G., afte
scornful silence, and its repetition, replie,
that she was astonshed that Mrs. III. shoul
talk of being PROUD.
Mrs. II. turned with look of defiance an
demanded 'liaveno as much to be proud OF a
: | Won y A cuiIlnm rninrf tnllnAu ed-each assei