American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1859-03-10
Fer The Lancaster oalOlls.


constitutes ono Of tie distinctive features
Of animal life, as compared with merely :
vegetable. organic existence. Nerves,
properly, are subdigided into two systems;
the cerObro sPinsl system, ,sDd the organic.
or lymphatic syslom. This system Of
ne YES, which we d,nomina'e org&nie
system, is essential 10 animal hfe. and is
common 10 AL orders OF ami mattel beings
The Office OF this system Of nerves. Is, 70
preside over tho organic functions. The
motions, or actions which il causes in tHe
tissues Of the body, are involuntary; that
is, notsubject 10 the control Of the will
Such are, the actions Of the heart the
ueristaltic motion Of bowels. Ths func-
tions af assimilation, absorption secretion,
ia fact the whole Of organic life. Hence it
is, that disease Of the sympathetic nerves,
as in inflammation OF the bowels. the liver,
the heart, the kidneys, or any Of tie
intsrnal viscera, but espe Tally the stom-
ach, is attended with such rapid exhaus-
ton fthe vital powers; such rapid fail
ing Of the strength. Hence it is also,
that wounds, or blows, received on those
organs, are followed with such peculiar
sensations of pain and sinking.
The cerebro spinal system, or, the ex'
, istence OF nerves Of sensation and v, lunta-
5 ry motion, commences with the order Of
| vertebrate animals, or those having brain
, aud spinal cord, Of which man is the head,
; or most perfect development. Some of the
! lower order Of animated beings, as worms,
: &c. are without this system, possessing
: mere animal orgasm.
D Avery general allusion 70 the anatomy
Of the nerves, is all that our present space
: will permit. The brain, is the center Of
Q the nervous system. which is shown be-
N yond all controversy. by the fact, that
g when the functions of this organ ceass,
n sensation and motion, nay life itself ceas-
J. es. The nerves which go to supply SEN
,. satior and motion toevery part ofthe body
: are sent off from the brain and spinal mar
Il row, in pairs, one branch to each side.-
!. Whether each bundle OF nerves sent of
1t contains two kinds Of nerves, that is,nerves
!, of sensation, and nerves of motion; or
,e whether the same nerves perform both
4. functions, is uuimportant to our inquiry
A
9. Suffice it, that sensation and motion are
,e distinc: functions. The nerves which are
,o the media OF communication between the
II brain (sensorium commune) and the or
a. gans, or objects Of sense. outside OF the
n. body, are minutely distributed in every
n. living tissue. Tw1 conditions are essen
tial. TO produce sensation. First, cohtac
y. Of the nervous extremitiss with the object
Y. Of sense; and secondly, uninterrupted
,r. communication, or continuity of the nerves
mr. With the brain. The contact may be per
&C. feet, and the nerve healthy, ami yet. if
ON compression OF the nerves b'tween th
\ external surface ana the brain, be made
ses no sensation whatever Is felt So OF mo
In. ton, if the trunks OF the nerves be com
all pressed, SO as to stop the current o! ele'
rk- tricity that passes out through them,
M. The bidding of the brain, voluntary motto
IAN is, for the Tina, suspended. These col
les ditious are familiar to most persons, an
ion are induced by suffering leg, or srm' t
~
rec rest on hard body, SO as to compress Il
, in principsl nerve; we call il asleep.
ties All this, goes to settle the question, tn
nd. the brain is the seat OF seusationi and, tn
and no matter at what part of the body the 10
the preston is made, the foot, or hand, Il
av. impression is not felt there but in Il
brain. So, il the limbs be corded, so
, n to sob the nervous current, that part b
we yond the igature, may be cut, burned
On. Ia Grated, without the knowledge of Il
ion, iacividual, though the brain. may be
can the most perfect health. II the spin
cord be broken, or compressed at al
point, all the nerves arising below the
'luS Jury, are para Aeoj anu VI SOuioV' SS"S
,st,, ton and voluntary motion are suspende
of This state Of things generally, ends fat
in ".
ngs, Psychologists, have beld different theot
yait. in regaId to the manner in which ner'
fu- perform their fnnctious. or how it
heir that they transmit Impressions; and of
say manner in which they become the vehi
OF the volition, SO as to cause the muse
to act in obedience to the determination
" ''A" thou sht. The mind decides what act
:, . muscles shall perform, and at once
", voluntary muscles begin to act. So
""0 have taught, that peculiar fluid flo
u'SS outward from the brain through the ner
'n''. . which by its oscillations, serves as the Il
'"nu dium OF transit. Others, regard
,0Ur nerves as simple electrical cords; and
u. M electricity flowing from the brain, is
i''su consequence Of nervous function, aud p
'n' nomsna. The latter is coming to be