The New York herald., 1870-02-20
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Some quasi scientific interest has been
excited by discussion that takes its present
start from the decapitation Of the murderer
Traupmann. It has been argued that decapi-
tation does not cause instant death; that the
head particularly survives separation from the
body for an appreciable period Of time that
/! lives not only in so far as it retains vital
warmth, but lives also in tho higher sense of
the term-experiences pain, horror, the con-
sciousness Of its condition-in short, that it
can still exercise the supreme functions Of
existence If this be true, it is obvious how
terribly this fact must add to the cruelty Of such
a death, and also, perhaps, how ft death
it is for such wretches as this French muir
derer; but we are certain that the world must
do without the satisfaction Of knowing that
there is punishment so excruciatingly
horrible for its criminals. This theory is
merely bubble Of morbid fancy.
For what is animal life2 In It's higher
forms it consists Of the coordinate exercise of
the functions Of heart and o brain, and it
can be reduced to no simpler term. Divorce
these necessary parts Of vital unity and there
is no such action for either as can constitute
conscious life. 1t is true that the ablation of
tho brain may not always Instantly stop
the action of the heart, and equally true
that the heart separated from the
brain may be kept in operation for certain
length Of time by external stimuli But it
would be a misuse of words to say that an
animal 80 operated upon was kept alive. We
move the vital machinery by some other than
the vital force, and the operation is as clearly
! physical as the operation of driving locomo-
tive. This experiment takes advantage of the
fact that the human body is composed of the
| same material elements as abound in nature,
and as such is subject In specific ways to all
| the natural forces. In acephalous monsters
there is no argument against this, because of
the fact of monstrosity. They have this vital
brain power abnormaly placed. The reason
why the heart stops when parted from the
brain is plain in a physiological sense-the
brain is the source of its power. Expert
| mental physiology in tracing the vital priu-
ciple from point to point finally comes to the
brain as its ultimate hiding place. The heart
the brain and in subjection to that power; and
| animals the most tenacious of life--as the
| cat-die instantly when the brain is pune
tured at the base of the skull 30 as to break
up its communication with the heart.
But the dependence Of heart and brain
the heart separated from the brain is more
absolutely true of the brain separated from the
heart. While the heart ceases its function
from the time when the brain no longer sup
plies power, the brain also ceases its function
from the time when the heart no longer sup
plies the material from which the power is
generated, and from which is generated in ad-
dition the power to perform intellectual opera
tions-that is, the power Of thought. Thought
is merely the name for that act by which the
intellectual power compares and combines the
impressions received through the senses and
the intellectual power cannot, more than any
| other power of the system, perform any act Of
it's function without constant and regulated
supply of blood. Every abnormal fact in the
supply Of blood is followed by some abnormity
in cerebral acts. If the blood is unhealthy
even the cerebral acts reflect its character.
| Our clumsy conceptions cannot keep up with
| the deicacy of the intimate operations in that
alembic in which the brain draws from the cir
| cuating fluid the power to perform its func-
| tions of perception, memory and comparison;
| but the broader laws are known by actual ex-
| pertinent, and no knowledge can be more posi-
| tive or better based than our knowledge Of the
obliteration Of the intellect, the immediate
cessation of intellectual, conscious life, upon
the interruption of the supply of blood to the
brain.
The fact related of Sir Ashley Cooper, that he
was certain he saw a face blush when the head of
which it was part was held up to the multitude
as that of a malignant, was explained by him on
the theory of accumulated power. He believed
that the mental excitement preceding execution
had engorged the brain to such degree that
enough power was stored up to originate
thought Of shame. But this is not satisfac-
tory. despite the apparent authority Of the
name; for a thought of shame cannot make
| the cheek red in the absence of the heart. The
mechanism of a blush is this Some sudden
impression is made upon the brain, by word or
act, exciting an emotion of pleasure, anger or
shame, and the brain thus suddenly stimulated
reacts upon the heart coincidently with this
excitement of the heart there is a dilatati0n Of
the minute capillaries in the transparent It's
sues of the face and into these diated vessels
rushes the current of bright red blood, fresh
from the heart and accelerated by that organs
more vigorous impulses Because the forcing
power of the heart is necessary part of this
process people who have suffered decapitation
cannot blush.
But is there any possibility in this notion of
accumulated power? Can preceding mental
excitement in the case Of criminals about to
die fill the vessels Of the brain 80 as to leave