New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-03

ducng those COMMISSIONS In the one case that OF the
heart, the phenomena of movement were nominal; IN
the other the phenomena morbid still. II the
same mechanism in BOTH In botE instances a cessation
of activity was produced.
PRESSURE ON THE MICK TO CHECK HEARTS ACTION
friend OF mine, Dr. Waller, most intelligent man
a man OF genius-although ne was not a negro-found
that by pressing the neck he could produce the most
interesting physiological phenomena He has succeeded
in that way in curing headaches neuralgia OF the face
and many other affections which there pain OF
great congestion OF the head. An attack Of epilepsy
NAV be stopped in that way Many ply scians before
him had produced some of those results but they all
thought II from pressure OF the carotid artery
Waller has the merit of showing that IL is chiefly
he thought only but have found that IL chiefly
not Ony-through irritation OF that nerve. the par
rdquB that the motion the heart arrested IN those
cases. and that dimnutOn Of the beating OF the heart
was followed by an ameloration in the circulation IN
the head, cessation Of attack OF epilepsy and of
other complaints 1t something, therefore.
quite different from the pressure the carotid
artery. These views were not absolutely complete, rs
have found that another nerve which goes the blood
vessels OF the brain is also irrtated Ivy the process
and that the pressure in the neck produces three
effects; % 1t certainly dminishes the current in the
carotid artery and indeed S that current altogether
il the pressure Is considerable 2) it dimnshes the cir
cuation considerably. and may induce profound state
or tlucOpt bN VI tue t"tf'f W ~ "''
acts on the cervicl sympathetic and produces con
traction Of the blood vessels the head by means OF
which part OF the good effect il obtained.
There are perhaps parts OF the nervous system
which cannot under irritation have an influence on
the heart to stop 10. Even irritation Of the nervous
flores Of the brain may produce cessation OF the ac
tivty OF the heart Physicians in this room know per-
fectly well that sometimes patient stricken down with
apopexy may have great reduction IN me aiton Oh
the heart aud sometimes synocope may take place re-
sulung death In the spinal cord y IS so also There
indeed parts that cannot DC picheu ny tne nnc7'
needle without influence on the heht Legations,
the French psychologist OF whom nave already SPOKEN
thought that all OF tue spinal cora Wls eeher iOr lhe
movements of the heart and he had made experiments
which seemed certainly 10 show ta that was the case
spinal cord had found that that stopped The hearts
action But ne maze mistake III considering mat u
because he had destroyed the nerve center OF the
heart
GREATER VITALITY " AMERICA THAN ~ EUROPE.
This experiment was the occasion perhaps some OF
you already know OF my finding that animals IN TINS
country bear injury lar more easily than the
animals in Europe. have ascertaned that IL IS
30 for man also. And this j. why 80 many medical
writers Europe consider that facts OF this kind pub
lished here are inventions There j. distrust
among European physicians in the honesty aud up
ghtness OF American physicians. because tue former
cannot understand now man IA TINS country can sur
vve terrible injuries which would he natal 10 him IN
Europe. / wOud not say that the truth j. absolutely
in TINS country anywhere else, but still
there is no doubt that the facts which have been
toned are perfectly true. Experimenting rabbit
before "a class in the University OF New-NOrk, had
TO them that pushing the instrument as
was about do along the cord would be quite enough
10 Kill the auiIla immediately. Fortunately FOR me,
mad SAID that dtSth due 10 the hemorrhage ac-
the Instrument, ana not 70 tue Lex o.
tne ifine6rr spinal cord After pushing the in.
sfruIneut i'm for some distance. ! found rabbit
which had been operated upon, eating carrot laugh.
teri. The class laushed more than you ID now, and
not at the rabbit bat at me. Laughter could not
az first what IL vas due to, aud ! then
pushed the bar Of iron ITS fun length or nearly one
snf
ieIIcc fo1nd mat There was no hem0rrhage at All.
then took up rabbit by It's and showed that
- go ~ he Wbaf mad said therefore, was
verified bv the fact that In Europe 'eath takes place
49, a1n,aIs Is one of fhe differences between the
animals VI the two countries aud there are other
The heart eau Be stopped by blow the belly Long
ago DR.. Hunter had determined this. The fact was
known before num- Out ne Ih7sten gu H. Du, V IN
PLANTATION what he thought But n takes science
tins case 1t was long before The facts Scner
ally received and q true explanation reached Goltz,
frog consisting in giving blow OF the hnger ON the
belly he has repeated the experiment winch had been
made 40 manv times only since his time has IL
been known that the sympathetic nerve there has the
power OF stopping the hearts action. mad published
which Is an Inflammation of the thin membrane IN the alb
domen from lack Of action IN the heart IL
pathetic in the abdomen thdt the hearts action
stops This is very important 20 know az we possess
irritation that place IN those cases IN the abdomen,
We may the life OF the patient IL j. well known
that the means which frequently saves IN pefltOnls,
tn4t /. the use OF opium dlmiIshes the eXcltaOihty,
and Ia that wav prevents the influence Oh the heart
That influence goes up from the abdomen 20 the spinal
1rI and rises there to the Auedpii1 Ob'JEgdta, ana
then descends the meduHa otio"gdta by The par
ra0,tB to the heart.
cnre establishments show the influence that cold pos
az the heart. There great many persons who are
Sal 10 have no reaction after having been submitted 10
cold dOuche shower aud there are many VINO are III
danger o diving from TINS treatment. Indeed, TIE per
son know most Intimately is absolutely unaple 10 re-
diving from cessation OF the hearts action IN expert
mems made by two friends Of mine, Dr. Dickinson aud
cod water on the skin that they mad actually mad
arrest Of tine hearts action IL shows therefore, that
persons not the proper reaction ought not to
continue TO expose themselves 10 such cause.
There are MANY other that may stop the hearts
acou IL il perfectly well known that emotion can DO
IT, In all such cases II Is by pretty much the same
mechanism. Chlorofprm kills III that way one or two
hrearuug- VI ChlOrOfOrm may De suncleut ny the III
nuepce exerted the ramcatlOn Ot the par odgbt III
md then down to the heart and arresting It's acJiOn
This j. only be feared, however, IA persons whose
I'm the Iarynx also ind what an effect may be pro
duced on the acton Of the heart nave ascertaned
mat by putting carbOnIc acid IN the aryn1es OF animals
tine hearts action may be stopped immediately sun
am bold enough III many instances ~ push carnonlc acd
tine same time the mucous membrane OF the mouth.
and something OF us Dad eHect "hich CONSISTS III
the arrest OF the heaf'
DANGEROUS METHODS OF CURING HEADACHES.
In one instance 1 found that "A mode curing head
aches which is now employed may be liable To fatal re-
sults A friend Of mine had very bad headache. 1
thought that il could galvanlze the cervical sympa-
thes IN the neck which goes 10 the boodvesses OF the
head should produce cessation OF the pain almost at
once I succeeded admirably, but almost succeeded In
kIlng INV friend The hearts action stopped ana no
was great danger OF death from gaVdnIat0n y tue
mr. n0g,f which taken place the same time was
gavaniZing the sympathetis. Since that. have been
more nTudent aud have not repeated the experiment.
MANY physicians however, galVanize the sympatbets.
They do it, IL Is true, in way which different from
the one employed they apply the currents with more
SIM cannot out confess That there is danger
the process.