Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-07-07
Is the Brain the OIgin OF Thought,
Intellect, or Mind.


TINS is a most interesting question, well |
worthy the study of the psychologlst |
There is. indeed, much to prove that 1t is
the origin of the mind, or as some psy. |
chologists put it, the brain secretes
thought somewhat in the same manner as
apy gland in the body performs its tunc
tions of secretion, regarding the gray cells
of the brain in the light of secreting gland
cells. their funtion being to secrete |
thought. But here a difficulty at once
presents itself, namely: whence DO they
gather, or from what element do thcy |
eliminate, the cons ituents OF thought, SO |
as to produce mind or intellectG For, II
the analogy holds good, there must be
some element from which these cells
gather the constituents of thought. We
know. saws the London Medical Press and |
Circular, the kidneys eliminate urea from
the blood, and the liver, bile; the salivaTy
glands their peculiar secretion, and so OF
All the glands of the body. But we see
that these several secretiOns and eXcre-
tions pre-existed in the living blood; 1t
may be in different form, but, neverthe.
less. their constituents were there, and
were only brought together and eliminated
thence by these glands. 80, when we say
the liver forms bile; the kidneys, urea,
ETC., we do do not mean that they eilml'
nate them from the blood. So, following
out the analogy that the brain cells secrete
thought, we again put the question
Whence do they gather the elements OF
that thoughtg" Some will at once reply,
from the immaterial principle of the mind.
This brings us to what we believe Is the
generally received opinion, namely that
mind is an immaterial principle; but II 1t
be an immaterial principle, how is 1t that
you cannot destroy the brain without de-
stroying the intellect as well2 Thus, in
apopleXy, or any case where there Is an
effusion of blood, or other fluid, to any
great extent, the individual becomes I'M
conscious You may object that this Is
owing to the shock to the animal life, and
not specially referable to the BRAN. wen,
we have stronger proofs Look at man
| intoxicated with alcohol. The 1lrst
effects are to quicken the imagination,
and induce a freer flow of thought.
AS the man take more he becomes dull
and heavy, and if he takes more stll ne
becomes entirely unconscious. lie ap-
pears to have lost all power OF thought
and intellect. Does this not show that al
cohol acting on the material brain affects
the mind-in the end seeming to destroy
it? And that it is the alcohol acting on
the brain is proved beyond doubt, by ex-
amining the brain of those poisoned with
whisky and brandy, or in the experiments
performed on dogs by giving them couple
of drachms of pure alcohol which klils
them instantaneously, and Immediately
on opening the head and examining the
brain, the pure alcohol can be distilled
therefrom, showing what an affinity 1t has
for the brain, and how quickly 1t is abb
sorbed by the stomach. We have still
stronger proof of the brain being the
originator of thought, in the pathological
condition of softening of that organ, and
which, at the same time, also proves the
exact part of the brain which is the seat
of intellect, confirming other proofs de-
duced from experiments made on animals,
birds and reptiles, which it would beqdite
superfluous to go into.
From these experiments it is clearly
shown that the cortical, or gray structure
on the outside of the brain, is the seat OF
thought. We say SIS the seat Ofthought,' -
assuming the brain to be so for the pre-.
sent. Well, now, pursuing this thread OF
the subiect, we find where sottening COM
mences in the central white substance OF
the cerebrum that the intellect is in no
way disturbed at first; but we may have,
and if the disease progresses to any con-
siderable extent, will have, paralysis
hemiplegia, most likely. If the softening
!, proceed downward, and attack the cerebel'
lum and medulla oblongata, the patient
may die without his intellect being at all
affected; but if the disease proceed up
ward, and proceed to the cortical or gray
: structure, the intellect becomes very soon
: engaged. On the othe other hand, if the
disease commence in the corliCal portion,
. the intellect becomes affected at once, prior
1 to any symptoms of paralysis.
4 When we use the woTd softening, we
t mean chronic softening, as contradistin'
Q guished from acute inflammatory soltening
r In which these effects are not so distinct
and clear, though they can be perceived by
a close observation. We have a patient
/ Just now in care who, we consider, has
chronic softening of the brain, involving
2 principally the cortical portion, and he
s presents symptoms in accordance with Tho
/ above He complains Of dull, aching pair
s in his head, loss of memory, an inability
n to fix the mind vigorously upon any sub
r iect, or TO pursue any heightened train o
thought, the intellect becoming, as il were
wearied and seemingly unable to sustain
any great mental eXertions Yet he ha
no paralysis of either sensation or motion
n except some symptoms of amaurosis, indi
# eating involvement of the optic disks
k Now, does not all this go to prove that tho
1, cortical portion of the brain is the Origin
d of intellectS You may still reply, no
., only proves that the brain cells, being dis
orpanized or destroyed, are no longer capa
a BILE of performing their function of secret
n ing thought from the immaterial mind
Il which is there as perfect as ever and I'm