The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-05-24
MIND AND NATTER.
Is the Brain the Origin of Thought,
Intellect, or Mind
From the Medical Press and circular.l

From the Medical Press and Circular.]
This Is a most interesting question, well
worthy the study OF the psychologist. There
is. indeed, much to prove that it Is the origin
OF the mind, or as some psychologists put II,
the brain secretes thought somewhat In the
same manner as any gland in the body per-
forms its function Of secretion, regarding the
grey cells of the brain In the light Of secreting
gland cells, their junction being to secrete
thought. But here difficulty at once presents
itself: namely, from whence do they gather, or
from what element do they eliminate the con-
slltuent of thought, SO as to produce mind or
Intellect? For, If the analogy hold good,
there must be some element from which these
cells gather the constituents Of thought. we
know the kidneys eliminate urea from the
blood, the liver, bile, the sa!ivary glands their
peculiar serection, and so Of all the glands Of
The body. But we see that these several Sc
crelions and eXcretlOns pre-eXlsted In the
living blood, it may be In q different form,
but. nevertheless, their constituents were
there, and were only brought together and
eliminated from thence by these glands. So
when we say the liver forms oiIc, lne Miuneys,
urea, &C., we do not lnean1hat they eliminate
them from III" blood. So following ont the
analogy that The brain cells secrete thought,
again nut the question: From whence do
they gather the elements ct that thought ~
Some will at once reply, from the imlnaterial
principle OF the mind. This brings us 10 What
II believe" is the generally received opinion
namely, that mind is all imlnaterlal prlnclple;
but If IL be an immaterial principle how IS 1t
that you cannot destroy the brain without
destroying the intellect as we'll Thus in ap-
opleXy, or any case where there Is an eilll'
sion OF blood, or other fluid, TO any sfeat eX-
tent, the individual becomes unconscious.
You may object that this Is owing to the
shock TO the animal life, and not specially re-
terable 10 the brain. Well, we nave stronger
proofs. Look al q man intoxicated with alco-
ho The first effects are 10 quicken the imagl-
nation, and Induce freer flow Of thought.
AS The man takes more he becomes dull and
heavy, and If he takes more still he becomes
entirely unconscious. He appears to have
lost all power OF thought and intellect. Docs
not this show that the alcohol, aching on the
material brain, affects the lnind-in the end
seeming 10 destroy IT.: And thai it Is the
alcohol acting on the brain IS proved oeyonu you.
q DOUBT by examining the brain OF those pnis-
oncd win whiskey OF BRANDY, orin the eX-
perIlncnls performed on dogs by giving them
Il couple Of drachms OF pure ulcohol, which
kills them uStantuneUusly, and immediately
opening the head and examining the brain.
Tie pure alcohol can be distilled lherelrom,
showing what an athuity 1t has for The brain,
and how quickly 1t isabsoroea uy ,I lhe stomach i ell
We have i, still stronger proof Of the brain be-
in. The originator oi thought in the pathology
cal condition of sollening OF that organ,
aNd which, at the same time, also
proves The exact part oil the brain
which is the scat OF intellect, confirming
other proofs deduced from experiments made
on animals, birds and reptiles, which ii would
be quite superiluous TO go INTO, Frcm these
experiments il Is clearly shown that the corli-
cal or grey structure on The M outside sid Of .,he me
seat OF thought" assuming the brain 10 be so
for the present. Well. now pursuing this
thread of the subject, We find where soirenlng
commences In The central white substance OF
the ctrebrum that the intellect ia in no way
disturbed at frst but We may have and If The
disease progress TO any consaeraole extent
will have. paraIy -"hemiplesia most likely y
The soltening proceed downwards, aid at
tack the cerebsllqm and msdnlla ed lila .'o; HOlopgaa
at all affected: but if the disease proceed up
wards. and extend to the cortcal or grey.struc-
ture, The intellect becomes very soon engaged
On lhe other hand, ii the disease comuiences
in the cortical portion, the intellect becomes
affected at once, prior to any symptoms of par