The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1853-07-02
From the New Orleans Delta. June 81.
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From the New Orleans Delta. June ID
Gwat Alligator X kIiitng.
we are indebted TO u gentleman who was pres
ent yesterday, and Witnessed some very astonish'
,"g experiments by Dr. Cartwright, for the fol-
lowins very Interesting report o th. same:
The very namo Of the animal recalling its
formidable appearance and stra,rge habits has
something about II that at .nce arrests attention.
We believe, also that Its tenaeity Of h(s--supc,ioc
TO tina, Utmost any other creaturc--is ons reA~
son why the doc, or. of New Oileans seem to have
preference for experimenting 90 this Amtticni
Crocodile Majeen,lies ,yiscctnuns Of the dogs
ol Paris "pale their neii i-ciual lres' before those
.uttlngs'up OF 1--we alhgsiors winch have mado
DR.. B. Dawlsr and DR. s. Cartwright celebrated,
at home and abroad
The great killing we speak Of then. occurred
yesterday, IN the court yard Of the liospitabls
niansiuno of DR.. Cartwright. who had generously
provided three monsters Of tie respective lengths
of nine, three, aud tire. and half feet, for .pcr
hce upon the altar of science. On onr reaching
the temple. or anatomical theatre, we found host
OF physiclans present, amouy whom We recollect
Drs. Cartwright and Ter, he Drs Riddle, DR..
Hale. DR.. Coprs DR. Cappaer DR. Wharton, DIR.
Chaie. ind DR.. Oreenleai not to mention tho
.on professional spectators like ourselves
The mouths Of the allgators were first scared
" by tandages, and their hideous bodies then
strapped down to the dissecting tables Ths
larger reptile WAS surrendred TO Dr. Dowlcr and
the remaining two retained for the spesal expert.
Ments Of DR.. Cartwright.
( !. We may state that thpre are four classes of
what are. termed excite motnry nerves, two
originating in the spinal marrow and In the brain;
and that sensalnn, pain and motion have hitherto
been referred to impressions transmitted to nnd
reflected from the hist or transmitted by the last,
D Fl..a .a.l II, -.
mind. According TO this physiology, when you
cut your finger message has to bs sent to the
BRAIN or spine and then permission returned
down the nerve, authorizing sensation OF muscular
motion. 1t Is not the finger that is cut, as tbs
vulgar contend, but, so to speak the brain or
the spinal narrow. Yet the vulgar" are right,
and Ii requires II p,souher to prove them 70.
This DR.. Dowl.r did yesterday, as he had doue
before and his opinions nre king ply siologi-
cal revolution. Thus he divided the spinal mar
row III three places-at the base of the neck in
the middle, and at the base Of the back; nay h,
divided the nerves emerging from the spine--aDd
STILL on irritating u nerve between the sections
aud the extremity, and in proportion as he neared
| the extremity. he demonstrated that the animal
possessed dfuscd sensibility. a capacity to re-
cngnlzc pain aud even an intelligent power to act
against or attempt to escape the cause Of tho
/
oat the spinal marrow, dividing the nerves coming
from them nhi irritating them along their distal
portions, they still retained this independent sen,i.
biIity. and the mutIlatcd limbs OF the headles.
ANIMAL would make intelligent motiops for Citing
I'd OF the local torture. These are curous and
important discoveries.
I .. Dr. Cartwrsh, contends. against long odds.
Il Is nne, that IN the lungs no, in the heart, re-
SIDES tie motive power Of the circulation that.
literally, ns Moses asserted, the blood is the life
of tlg flesh and the air the life q. the blood He
atlirn.s that after death, when the pulse has stop
ped. de heart is STILL aud the body is insensible
to pain by producing artificial respiration, by in
latng the lungs, the blood can be started anew,
its life revived and the body resurrected absolute
: ftum the cold abstraction Of death. Both Of
si'sators had their windpipes tied, and one Of
tuem had It's che.t opened, with its heart, lungs,
AMI stomach, etc, exposed. lie be course Of two
hours both animals were dead, pulselsss and
quiet over flames OF fire. Then bellows,nozzle
being inserted into the trachea initiation Was te-
gun ard ontinred for some minutes. We saw tho
moto'.lrss heart throh the blood beginning to
flow from the lungs to that organ-the eyes Of the
alligator opened and tho hapless "vcti,." lived
's.an! The alligator whose chest v" exposed,
had its carotid artery accidental" at, thereby
losing considerable quantity of blood. and hence
1t was not made so b'i.kly alive as the other VIII"
retained all its vital fluid; AMI the initiation fail, d
in Dr. Dowlers subject, which was entirely blood.
less-resul,s confrma,ory, however, Ct DR.. G 8
theory.
These are all remarkable experiments, and, We
are assured capable Of the highes, practical use.
The nnalosical and philosophical reasoning, and
anatomical associations, etc. connected with each
of these Investigations are also, we can well con.
ceiye Of The greatest interest.