Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-07-21
THE GAZETTE.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, JULY 9l, 1858
WONDERS OF THE HUMAN SYSTEM.

WEDNESDAY MORNlNO, JUL
WONDERS OF THE HUMAN SYSTEM.
Paley applauds the coDtrivance oy which
everything We eat and drink Is made to glide
y, ito road to the outlet, over the entrance
Of the wind pipe, without falling into it. A
little movable lid, the epiglottis, which is III
ted up when we breathe, is pressed down up
on the chink of the air-passsge by the weight
of the food and the action of the muscles IN
swallowing it. Neither solids nor liquids
in short can pass without shutting down the
trapdoor as thay proceed. Bat this is only
q part of the safeguard. The slit at the top
of the wind pipe, which never closes entirely
while we breathe, is epdued with an acute
sensibility to the slightest particle OF matter:
The least thing which touches the margin OF
the aperture causes it's sides to come trUly
together, and the iutruding body is stopped
at the inlet. 1t is stopped. but unless re-
moved, must drop at the next inspiration IN
to the lungs. To effect its expulsion the SEN
sibility of the rim at the top Of the wind'pipe
actually puts into vehement action whole
class Of muscles placed lower than its bottom
and which, compressing the chest over which
they are distributed, drives out the air with
force that sweeps the offending substance be-
forc it. The convulsive coughing which arises
when we are choked is the energetic effort OF
nature for our relief when anything chances
to have evaded the protective epiglotts. Yet
this property, to which we are constantly ow-
ing our lives, is confined to single spot 10 the
throat. 1t does not, as Sir Charles Bell at
firms, belong to the rest of the wind-pipe
but is limited to the orifce, where alone it is
needed. Admirable, too, it is to observe,
that while thus sensitive to the most insignlh-
cant atom, it bears without resentment the
atmospheric currents which are necessarily
passing to and fro over its irritable lips. cit
.jects," says Paley, "the touch of crumb
of bread, or a drop Of water, with spasm
which convulses the whole frame; yet, Left to
itself aud its proper Office the intromission,
of air alone, nothing can be so quiet. 1t
does not even make itself felt; man does not
know that be has trachea. This capacity
of perceiving with such acuteness, this i'm
patience of offence, yet perfect rest and ease
when let alone, are properties, one would
have thought, not likely to reside in the same
subject. 1t is to the junction, however, OF
these almost inconsistent qualities, IN this.
as we'll as in some other delicate parts Of the
,dy, that we owe our safety and our comfort
--oor safety to their sensibilility, our comfort
to their repose.
Another Of the examples adduced by Bell
is that of the heart. The famous DR.. Har-
vsy examined, at the request Of Charles l.. a
nobleman, who, in consequences of an at,
scess, had a fstulous opening into the
chest, through which the heart could be
seen and handled. The great physiolo.
pist was astonisbed to find it insensibe.-
II then brought him" he says. ito the King,
that be might behold and touch so extraordi'
nary a thing, and that be might perceive, as
/ did, that unless when we touched the outer
skin, or when be saw our fingers in the cavi,
ty, this young nobleman knew not that we
touched the heart" Yet it is to the heart
that we refer our joys, our sorrows. and our
affections; we speak Of a good-hearted, hard,
hearted, true hearted, and q heartless man.
Shielded from physical violence by an outwork
of bones, it is not invested with sensations
which could have contributed nothing to Its
preservation, but while it can be grasped
with the fingers, aud give no intimation OF
the fact to its >possessor, it Enthusiastically res,
ponds to the varied emotions, OF the mind, and
By the general consent of msnkiud ispronouo'
csd the scat Of our pleasures, griefs, synpa'
thies, hatreds and love. Persons havefrequent'
" dropped down dead from the vrhemence
with which it contracts or expands upon the
sudden announcement Of good or bad news
It's muscular walls being strained too far in
the upward or downward direction - enable
them to return-and one of the purposes
which this property of the heart is probably
designed to subserve is to put check upon
the passions through the alarming physical
sensations they excite.
The brain, again, is enclosed in bony case.
All our bodily sensations are dependent
upon the nerves, but even the nerves do not
give rise to feeling. unless they are in ccn.
nection with the brain. The nervous chord
which, in familiar language, is called the
spinal marrow, Is the channel by which this
mmunication is kept up as to the major
part of them, and when the section OF what
may be termed the great trurkroad for the
conveyance Of our sensations, is diseased, aod
BY the breach in it's continuity the nerves
below the disordered part can no longer send
it, accustomed intelligence to the brain, the
portion of the body which thus becomes iso-
lated may be burned or hacked, and no more
pain will result than If it belonged to dead
c.rcass instead of to living man. The
brain, therefore, 10 subordination to the mind.
is the physical centre Of all sensation. Yet,
strange to say, it is itself insepsible to the
wounds which are torture to the skin, and
which wounds the brain alone enables US to
feel. 1T is as insepsible," says Sir Charles
Bell, CAS- the leather Of our shoe, and piece
m sy be cut off without interrupting the pa
tent in the sentence that be is uttering.
Bet use the bone which envelopes it is it's
protection against injuries from without, it
has no perception of them when directed
against its own fabric, though it ia at the
same time the sole source of the pain which
those injuries ipfios upon the other portions
of the systen. But the skull is no defence
against the effects of intemperance, or q
v.tisted atmosphere, or too great mental toll
To these, consequently, the same brain which
has been created insensible to the cut OF the
/ fife is rendered fully alive, and giddiness,
headaches. and apoplectic oppression gives
ample notice to us to stop the evil, unless we
are prepared to pay the penalty.-Quarter(y
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