Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-02-26

SPOAe VI tue great power OF the WILL IN
arresting convulsive movements. Our
consciousness leaves us during sleep
through an arrest of activity similar to
that produced by irritation of certain
nerve in the neck. Commissions are the
result of irritation of particular cells.
He had had Thirteen ceases in his own
practice, in which pressure of the biz
toes stopped convulsions of the legs.
In epilepsy, when the head is drawn
towards one shoulder, relief can be
procured by pressing the head over to-
ward the other shoulder.
In discussing affections of tho brain,
the lecturer said that an injury to the
brain might produce mania; yet dis.
eased brain might result in no outward
symptoms. He knew of cases where
half of the brain had been entirely
diseased and no affections of the intel.
lect had resulted, and others where
very slight hurts had caused violent
mania.
WHAT PARENTS OUGHT TO KNOW.
sThese facts" he said, ego to show
that each of the two sides Of tho brain
is complete, and able to perform singly
the Offices of both. I am satisfied that
we make great mistake in not teach
ing our children to use both sides of
the body alike. We ought to be able
to write with one hand AZ we'll as the
other. It would be q great gain if
both sides of the brain could thus be
developed equally by even use of the
body"
He combated the accepted theory of
the influence of the mind over the
body, which is that the action is like
playing upon piano, or the automatic
indicator in q hotel. His objection to
it was that the number of nerve fbers
connecting the brain with the body,
by the way of the spinal cord, are very
few compared with the possible move.
ments of the various parts of the body.
He drew dotted circles on the black
board to illustrate the unnnmbered
positions which hand takes in q
simple operation, and asked how there
could be fiber for each of them. His
second argument against the accepted
theory was that in many instances the
medulla obiongata, or bond of union
between the brain and body at the top
of the spinal column, had been in q
great degree destroyed, yet the move
ments of the body had been perfect az
before. He also denied the theory that
any mental power is seated in any part
of the brain-such as the mental con-
troll of speech, sight, etc.,
"You might just as we'll argue, he
said, "that the soles of the feet are
the seat of the power of laughter, be-
cause tickling them makes you laugh,
as that, because the irritation of Ger.
tain cells of the brain produces certain
effects, those cells are the seat of a Ger
tain power. = The power of
the will over the system is not so great
as is supposed. I was called in Paris
to see girl who was suspected of pioua
imposition. Upon hearing O ehurci,
bell ring at eight very Sunday morn.
ing she would stand on her feet on the
edge of the bed, and, while her body
remained rs immovable as q statue,
pray necessarily until the bell rane
again, twelve hours afterwards. IRaye
her galvanio shock so powerful
that healthy person could moi
have endured it, yet che did not stir.
There is no doubt but she had received
from her brain some immense pove1
over her nervous. system entirely ,nde.
pendent of her will. The act of per
1ormance does not have reference tc
the will. The communication between
the brain and spinal cord may be very
largely destroyed and still voluntary
action exist. A very few remaining
fibres are sufficient. NAM
facts show that when the will has or
dered certain action, that action il
completed independent of the villas
walking IN sleep. Indeed, the action
of the muscles is nearer perfection the
more like a telegraphic dispatch from
the brain telling the muscles what tc
d., than vibrator of tho nerves di.
reotly causing this result.