Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1853-08-04
oRAAr AtLIoArOR KILLING.


DC We arc inJcbted 70 a gentleman who was
irssent yeslcfStay, and Witnessed some very as
( tonishing experiments 81 Dr. Cartwright, for
the following very interesting report Of tho
esine;
The very name Of the Misunderstanding lis
< formidable appearance and strange habils-has
something about 1t that Mt once arrests attentlon
n We believe, Also that its tenacity OF life supe-
rior TO that Of almost any other ereature--is one
reason why the doctors Of New Orleans seem 10
Z have preference for experimenting on this
American crocodile. Majendre's vivisections
80 ihe dogs Of Paris "palc their Intellectual fires
Asfsrs those cuttings up Of live allgators, which
have Made DR.. b. Bowler and ar. S. Cartwright
q eslsteaied, 81 hoNe and abroad.
he greet killing we speak Of, than occusped
yesterday in the court yard of she hOspitable
sAmnsion Of Or. Cartwright, whShad generosity
Prsvided three MONSTERS u the respective engths
or 9, ,, and 3 l-2 feet, Tor sacrifice upon the
shsr of science. On our reaching the temple,
~ anstssaical theatre, we found host Of physi-
clans pTeseat, among whom we Tscolect Dire.
Cartwright and Dowler, DIR. Riddle, DR.. Hale,
Dr.. Cepes, Dr. ChappalieE, DIR. Mutt, DIR.
WsaihsFly. Dr.. Wharton, DIR. Challie, and DR..
a GFssnlsaf not 10 meniisn the professional spec
taters. like ourselves.
rti The mouths OF the alligaiors we're first Sc
Cuf9Q Nv odHuARUbt anu tuoH htuOou1 OVutoS thOu
strapped down 10 the dissectng tables. The
larger reptile was surrendered 10 Dr. DOwler,
aud the remaining two retained for the special
experiments Of DIR. Cartwright.
.t /. We may state that there are what are
termed excitO-motsry nerves, tive originating in
the spinal marrow, and two in the brain; and
that sensation, pain sn6 melton have hitherto
been referred to impressions transmitted TO and
reflected from the first, or transmitted by the
last, tho assumed seat Of volition, and in short,
the mind. According 10 this physiology, when
yeu cut your finger, message has TO be sent to
The brain or spine, and then permission return
I'd down the nerve, authorizing sensation or
muscular motion. II is not the finger that is
cut, as the "vulgar" contend, but, so to speak,
the brain Of the spinal marrow. Yet the "vul-
~ gar" are right, and il requires philosopher 10
prove them so. This DR.. Bowler did yesterday,
as he has done before, and his opinions are
working physiological revolution. Thus, he
divided the spinal marrow in three placeS-at
the base Of the neck, in the middle, and al
the base of the back; nay, he divided the
nerves emerging from the spine-and still, or
Irritating the nerve between the section and the
extremity, he dem onstrated that the animal pos
sessed difIused sensibility, capacity to recog.
nize pain, and even an intelligent power to ac
against, or attempt TO escape the cause of the
pain. Cutting off the head Of this animal, job
bing out the spinal marrow, dividing the nerve,
coming from them, and irritating them along
their dstal portions, they still retained this in
dependent sensibility, and the mutilated limb
Of the headless animal would make intelgen
motions for getting rid Of the local torture
These are curious and important discoveries.
DIR. Cartwright contends, against long odds
II is true, that in the lungs, not the heart, re
sides the motive power Of the circulation; tina
literally, as Moses asserted the blood is the lif
of the flesh, and the air the life of the blood
He affirms that after death, when the pulse ha
stopped, the heart is still and the body is insen
sble TO pain, by producing artificial respiration
by Initiating the lungs, the blood can be starte
anew, its life revived, and the body resurreete
absolutely from TIE cold sbstractiOns Of death
Both of his alligaIors had their windpipes tied
and one Of them had his chest opened, with il
heart, lungs and stomach, etc, exposed. In tn
course Of two hours both animals wero dead
Puseless, and quiet over flames of fire. The
bellows-nozzle being inserted into the traches
imitation was begun, and continued some min
utes. We saw the motiOnless heart thrsb, tn
blood beginning to flow from the lungs to th'
organ-the eyes of the alligator opened, and tn
hapess victim lived again IL Now Orlean
Delta, June 2.
e. Il.H. 49, ii A H.,