The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1874-12-31
CTTRToUsFAOTS ABOUT TEE SENSE
OF SMELL.

ner wall of the nOStr1lS. 1t Is q mucous
surface, laid III irregular wrinkles, and
receiving the spreading slender, ternlin-
al filaments Of certain number OF
nerves. This membrane, like ell other
mucous ones constantly seeretes fluid
designed to lubricate il. By the aid OF
the muscles covering the lower part Of
the nostrils, the apparatus OF smelling
can be dilated or contracted, precisely
ike that Of sight. This understood.
the mechanism of olfaction IS quite
simple. It consists In the contract Of
colorous particles with the olfaction
nerve. These particles are conveyed by
the air to the inside of the nasal cavities,
and there strike upon the sensitive
fibres. If the access of air Is prevented,
or If the nerve Is altered, no sensation Is
produced. Experiments III physiology,
In fact, have settled that the ofactory
nerves Cor those of the first pair are as
signed exclusively to the perception of
odors. Loss of the sense of smell &C.
ours whenever the nerves are destroyed
or injured by any process, or even when
ever they are merely compressed. On
the other hand, it is a matter Of common
observation that impeding the passage
of air into the nostriIs, is quite as eff
fectual way of making any sort OF
olfactory sensation impossible. Let us
add that the region most sensitive to
odors is that OF the upper part Of the
nasal cavities. x x EntomOlOgists
maintain that scent is very delicate III
most insects, and rely on plausible con-
lectures on this subject, but they do not
as vet know what the seat of the sense
smell in insects is. When meat Is e1-
posed to the air, in few moments flies
make their appearance in a place where
none had before been seen. II refuse
matter OF bodies of animals are left on the
ground, insects flock to them at once, feel
ing on such substances, and depositing
their eggs in them. Scent alone seems TO
guide them, exclusively of sight even for
if the object of their desire IS hidden,
they easily manage to find it. 4 curl
Gus fact as to the scent Of insects is
furnished by these kinds that prefer de-
clyirg substances. 4 beautiful arum is
found in our woods, the cuckoo pintle,
whose white flower diffases disgusting
odor. Now, the inside Of this flower is of
ten filed with flies, snails, and plant-lice,
seeking the putrid source of this fetid
smell. We may see the little creatures,
in quest of their food or of a fit place to
lay tkeir eggs, move about in all direc-
tions. and quit most unwillingly the
flower whose scent has misled them.
X
To complete these details, it remains
to say something Of the decisions of the
sense of smell; for this sense, Like the
others, has It's alterations and halluclna-
lions. The decisions Of smell are hard
ly eyer isolated: they accompany those
OF hearing, sight, taste, and touch, and
are also less frequent than the latter.
Insane people, who are affected by
them, complain Of being haunted by
fetid emanations, or congratulate them
selves on inhaing the most delicious
perfumes. LIEUT. mentions the case OF
a woman, an inmate OF Ia Salpetr1ere,
who fancied that she constantly perceiv-
ed a frightful stencil proceeding from
the decay Of bodies she imagined buried
in the courts of that institution. I'm
pressiens Of the kind are usually very
annoying. Br1erre de Boismont relates
the account of d woman affected by a
disorder Of all her senses. Whenever
she saw well dressed lady passing, she
smelt the odOr of musk, which was in
tolerable to her. IL ii were man, she
was distressingly affected by the smell
Of tobacco, though she was quite aware
that those scents existed only In her i'm
agination. CapelIini mentions that
woman, who declared that she could not
bear the smell Of rose, was quite Ill
when one of her friends came in wear
ing one, though the Unlucky i1oWer was
only artificial.
Such facts might be multiplied; but,
rs they are all alike, it is not worth
while to mention more of them. The
latest observations made in insane
asylUrns, among others, those of II.
Provost. at Ii Salpetriere, have shown
also that these decisions and per7ersions
of the sense of smell are more common
than had hitherto been supposed among
such invaIids, and that if they usually
pass unnoticed, II arises from the fact
that nothing spontaneously denotes their
existence-F'ERNAND PAPTEloS, IN T0-
pular Scieace lLonfbly for December.