Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-03-20
A Dead Mans Brain Transfer
red to a Living Subject.

tion of the heart, or rather of its invest
ing membrane, was brought to the hos
pital to die of that incurable and
promptly fatal malady. No sooner had
the anticipated death taken place than
the dead saloon keeper was placed on a
table by the side of another operating
table, on which was the chlorofermed
but living body of the soldier. Two
surgeons, with assistants, proceeded
alike in both cases to divide the scalp
over the summit of the skull from ear
to ear, turn back the divisions, and to
remove the skull cap by incisions pass
ing around the skull like crown. In
the soldier, whose carotid arteries had
been prepared for compression, these
vessels were clamped so as to prevent
hemorrhage, and but a few drops of
blood were lost during the entire opera
ton. In each the dura matter was in
cised, and the hemispheres of the brain
were removed by an incision with a
sharp, thin-bladed knife passing above
the cerebellum, or a narrow portion of
about two inches in diameter called the
crura cerebri. The brain OF the saloon
keeper, which was sound, the heart dis
ease having left it intact, he having
been sensible to the last, was transfer
red to the skull of the soldier, and by
an ingenious contrivance, fully detailed
in the Gazette, the continuity of the ar
terial and venus tubes was established.
The greatest care was taken in securing
the natural adoption of the parts to a
fraction of line, and the skull, having
been replaced simply, was held down
and in position by the scalp, which was
drawn over, and its edges confined by
strips of adhesive plaster, and over all
was placed bandage. 1t was not un-
til several days had passed that the
pressure upon the carotid arteries was
entirely relaxed, although before the
skull was replaced the flow of blood in
the vessels of the brain was proved to
be restored.
The chief fear was from the results
of Inflammation and suppuration, but
fortunately neither ensued, and the
wounded parts healed kindly. There
was from the first no difficulty in feed
ing the patient, nor was difficulty an
ticipated, for it was well-known that in
puppies and kittens in which the entire
brain has been removed, sucking and
swallowing go on as well as before the
operation, and in this case the nerves
which preside over deglution and di-
gestion were far below the point of Sec
ton. The patient remained in sound
sleep for two weeks, as in case of apo
plexy, the circulation, digestion, and all
the vegetative functions of life being
uninterrupted. The gradual union of
parts was shown by faint but gradually
increasing movements of the limbs, of
the jaws, and of the muscles of express
sion in the face. Speech did not be-
come possible until the close Of the
third week, and then it was hesitating,
stammering, as child learns. AL
though it was evident that the patient
tried to utter words and sentences, it
was very gradually that the power OF
Ineligible articulation n returned. s.5
The Gazette contains the report in a
tabular form of the increasing volun-
tary powers over the arms and hands,
as measured from day to day by the dy-
namometer, the measurements given in
kilOgrammes; also, the daily tempera-
ture of the limbs, as shown by the ther-
mometer in degrees of centigrade; also,
the measures of returning sensibility Of
the fingers and lips, as given by an in
strument called an asthesiometer; bu,
omit these, as your readers will be in
terested in the main facts only.
When speech became ineligible il
was found that the soldier, as he seem
ed, but forgotten entirely his military
training and discipline; on the othel
hand, he told, at formal examination
in the presence of a number of witness
es, the prices of all the wines and beers
such as the saloon keeper had been il
habit of buying and selling, manifest
ing the unimpaired cerebral activity o
the latter. His memory recalled tn
saloon keepers relatives, friends, ant
customers. The soldier had been ugly
taciturn, revengeful; he now had tn
saloon-keeper's frankness and even gar
rulity, in spite of his stammering utter
ance. He was totally blind. Although
the nerves of smell and sight had beel
approximated in the operation, the.
failed to unite. 1t was both sad an
strange to see and hear the soldier crop
ing in his infirmity of blindness, ant
giving proof of all the patient endu
rance and goodness of heart which ha
made the saloon keeper deservedly es
teemed and prosperous.
These are the main facts in the cas-
as far as detailed in the Archice, but tn
subject otieXperiment presents SO man
important problems of the relation be
tween blood and brain, of heart powe
and nervous energy, that we may b
well assured that no facts of intere:
in the changed condition of the culpr
will be permitted to escape notice an
record. \ grave point of discussion
whether he must still be considered
criminal aud suffer execution as 4 gui
ty soldier, or shall be pensioned and ill
orally cared for in his iniirmity as
guiltless and much Suffering beer-selle
Public sentiment is divided. The En-
peror William says, "Ya," peremptori
ly. The Emperor Williams judge
therefore, all say, "Ya wohl." The En-
peror Williams professors of metaphy
, les in the Emperor's universities say
is clearly case of ego and non-eg'
and the people seem willing that Il
matter should rest there as far as Il
metaphysical aspects of the questi'
are concerned.-Cor N. Y. World.
"Mrs. Jenks," said little redhea
= = ed girl, with pug nose and bare fe'
/ smother says you will oblige her
: lcndin' her stick of firewood, fill Il