New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-02

TIE LECTURE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN | have to-day to
put forward which. II they have the value that
attach them deserve all your attention confess,
however. that although have TO a conviction my
SELF and perhaps, rather difficult in that respect
do not accept easily as proved what is drawn from
facts confess, however, that feel great embarrass
ment, as not only the fac.s have to dwell upon
new. AMI not. perhaps, easily to be accepted, but
besides they require for their fun understanding Knowl
edge Of medicine which probably does not exist among
many Of my hearers. However will try my best to
The subject clear possible even to persons
who know nothing about medicine.
Evidence THAT WE HAVE TWO BRAINS.
As you perhaps know the subject is this putting it in
an in.erro-ative way, Have two brains one And
At We have two brains why do not educate both of
them
YOU will sec by these questions, il the first is de-
cdod negatively OF there is no reason for the
lecture The very fact, therefore that am in your
presence speak about hour that subject. implies
that have come to the conclusion that have two
braius perfectly the from the other There
are views held in that respect altogether
different from mine. Tley consist IN admitting tina the
lett side OF the brain is the only serving to the
aud feeling Of the right side OF the body and
rice rcsa the right side OF the brain is admitted to be
the only organ serving to votOn and to sensation for
the left side OF the body THIS view will have first to
dsprovo
Beguuiog however, by what relates to the nOblest
functions OF the brin-hat is its aptitude TO serve in
Incutal phenomenal shall say at once that am not
the first 10 put forward The view that We have two
brains. Long ago Sir Hen.y Oan who died some time
ago. and Dr. Wigan and a few others, insisted on the
Tact that each side of perfectly sufficient for
The f performance Of the mental functions. But they
stopped there and they have left 10 others therefore,
TO 20 further If have TO 20 further. shall that
taking that view that in reality have two brains,
there is conclusion which flows out from it, and which
although shall have 10 speak OF H. more at length by
aud BY must say few words upon. 1t Is
quite certain that If it make use OF only one
for most OF actions leave aside One-half OF the
total mass brain matter, and, therefore, leave
quite useless One-haf Of the most important of our
organs as regards manifestations of intelligence, Will,
and perception of sensation IL this statement right
YOU will easily understand how important is to come
10 point which have IN view in this lectures that is
that we ought give education 10 the Two sides OF the
brain, or rather. to the two brains
As regards ne gence is hardly necessary to insist
after what has been said by the psychologists have
named, Sir Henry Olan and DE-. Wigan. They both
showed that there great many facts which c0nclu
siyely prove that either half OF the brain may serve
equally intellectual functions. IL may be. however,
that their proofs not sufficient One OF the two,
Dr wgan has insisted upon feature OF great interest
which is that insanity sometimes and may say
frequently without any insanity, have two different
views on the subject. There are great many
people who labor through life under the difficulty
OF making up their minds 1t because they have two
minds unfortunately Better would it be for them to
have only one and hope you will not conclude at
mat what am to preach bere-that is, that TO
educate brains-Ought to be laid aside on ac-
count danger OF leading men TO have two minds,
and 70 all the time hesitating between two views and
two conclusions and opinions and two decisions.
think shall be able prove that the fault in those in
dyiduals VINO caunot up their mind is the
trary dependent in measure on the fact that they
have not developed sufficiently the power OF their two
brains.
INSTANCES OF THE SEPARATE USE OF TIE HALVES
OF THE BRAIN.
ANYHOW DR.. Wigan especially insisted upon those
facts which we observe in insanity that patient knows
he is insane knows that he has insane ideas he Will
mt them forward and immediately after having put
them forward he will say II know they are insane"
He is perfectly right perfectly rational while at tn
same time he is completely insane. Dr. Wigan has con-
ciuded without any positive demonstration, that IN
those cases oneha Of the brain normal and tue other
half is wrong onehaf is employed in the mental facu
ties in normal way; the other employed as regards
the mental faculties in quite wrong way. But there
are cases which more interesting, per-
haps, and which, l think, fall more clearly
under that view, that there are two Drains
saw boy. for instance, Nottinghill, London,
once who had mental lives In the course OF the
day. generally at the not constantly, his
head was seen 10 fall suddenly He remained erect
however n he standing, or sitting he remained in
his position; If talking he stopped talking for awhile 81;
making a movement he stopped moving for a while, and
after one or two minutes Of that state of falling for
ward or dropping Of the bead-and he appeared as
n falling asleep suddenly, his eyes clOsing-immedi-
ately after that his head started up, he opened his
eyes perfectly bright, looking quite awake and
then asking If there any body in the room whom
he had not seen previously, who the person
was and why he not introduced TO hun
being all the that state quite different from the
state of wakefulness re had me great many
times and knew me very well. Being with him once
when one OF those attacks occurred, he lifted his head
and asked his mother, "Who is the geutlemanf Why
oon't Won introduce him 10 met" His mother intro
ducod ne TO him. He did not know me at ALL He shook
hands with me- and then had conversation with him
as ply sican may have with patient In another ln-
stance when with him again, when he had the same
kind OF an attack found that he recognized me iny'
and talked Of what had spoken OF In our nrst inter-
view ] ascertained from what | witnessed IN those
two instances and also aud chiefly, L may say,
from bis mother, a very inteigent WOmah'
maj he had two lives reality two mental lives one
an his ordinary state and another occurring after that
attack of kind OF sleep for about minute or tWo"hch
be knev nothing OF what existed in ms other lfe-in his
ordinary life: that was all a blank lie knew nothing
ornv that second state but had occurred in pre-
yious periods of that same condition. but he knew fu
yo All that had occurred then, and his recoecuoh OF
oy.rythng was as perfect then as 1t was during MS Or
binary life concerning the ordinary acts OF his me- de
had therefore. I have said already, Two aDsolutey