The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-05
Is the Brain tho sole Organ OF enc
1FindE


Minds
Where the mind resides in the body has
been the subject OF investigation long before
DIR. Hammond deliyeled his interesting lee
ture on the subject before the Neurological
Society. Some Of the apceuts imagined it to
be seated in the stomach, and the old theory
that the heart is the home Of tender emotions
has been impressed upon language, and upon
poetic literature especially. Bowels OF CON-
passion was once more than q figurative ex.
preston. But modern science has always
regarded the brain as the organ Of the mind,
and the other portions Of the body as the in.
siruments of the brain, possessing automatic
motion, as the heart, but incapable
of conscious action. The Interesting
question is now presented by Dr.
Hammond as TO whether the brain is
exclusively the organ of the mind,
and he is Of opinion that it is not. Expert
ments upon lower forms of animals have been
made by removing the brain, and yet sepsa-
ton and thought seem to have survived the
operation. Shakespeare puts into MacbetAi
mouth the scientific remark that 'the times
have been that when the brains were out the
man would die !" but this is not the case with
frogs. A frog deprived of his brain will
swim, scratch himself when ticked, will turn
over when placed upon its back; the headless
rattlesnake will coil and strike when it il
annoyed; the decapitated alligator will show
similar signs of consciousness. Hence DR.
Hammond argues that wherever there
is gray nerve tissue there is alsa
mind. Children born without brains some.
times act like other children, and breathe,
cry, suck and eat This is certainly evidence
in favor of the theory that ''the spinal cord
is something more than mere centre for 70
fex action and conductor OF impressions to
and from the BRAIN and is a centre Of per.
cepton and volition. We cannot altogether
agree. however that other instances of un-
conscious action quoted by DR.. Hammond
must be referred to the spinal cord 1t is
true that persons playing on the piano and
conversing are unconscious of the movements
of their hands, just as it is true that in the
action of writing the brain seems to give no
direction to the pen. The mind of
the astronomer may be wandering in
the zodiac while his hand unconsciously
records his thoughts. But too little is known
of the brain to say absolutely that these strange
manifestations are outside of cerebral con,
seriousness. There are depths of conscious.
ness which we seldom sound and othen
which are actually inaccessible to the reason
ing powers. They are so infinitely remote
from the ordinary processes of thought that
they cannot be examined. 1t seems arbitrary
to say that these fathomless CULTS Of mental
consciousness reside only in the spinal cord
The memory of the brain is still mystery.
No complexity, probably, is SO great as the
web of associations into which memory is
woven and through which it acts so
swiftly that no man can detect the
process by which he remembers even the
slightest action. We need not accept the
theories of phrenology to believe that each
Of the great divisions of the brain has a men,
ory OF its own, and that these memories are
rarely, and perhaps never, united in ono
instant flash Of consciousness. Our criticism
upon DIR. Hammonds theory if we should
presume to criticise it, would he that lie
makes his division between the organs too
absolute, that he defines too narrowly the
separate functions of the brain and spinal
cord. The dark abysses,of conscious thought
and Of automatic action of the mind will
probably battle experiment forever as they
have forever defed introspcction.
Yet the conclusion Of DR.. Hammond that
perception and volition are seated in thu
spinal cord as well rs in the central gangla'
seems to be justified by innumerabie expert
ments Of his own and other eminent scientists.
and If this be true of the lower animals it is
probably true Of man. We must then give
our backbones higher place than they have
held in our esteem, when the Uranium was
considered the sole seat Of the mind. 1t is an
interesting question, and one Of which we
should like much to know the opinion OF the
Darwinians, for it has certainly profound
relations with their theory. They once
examined the origin Of language in reference
to the light it throws upon the origin Of
species, and may now lind the missing link"
in investigating the organs Of the mind from
the lowest to the highest forms of life.
PERSONAL INTELLIGENCE.